Forever
by Casy Dee
Summary: Alice and Hatter continue to make their lives together, life is a constant recoil...but they have each other, and all you need is love. This is the sequel to 'Always,' but can be read as a stand alone if you must. Epilogue posted! Bloody huge!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the continuation of my fic titled 'Always'. I do hope that you enjoy it…and please let me know what you think! Special thanks to everyone that read and reviewed 'Always.' Your encouragement is why I'm writing this one!**

**Forever**

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Chapter one

Alice stretched languidly and snuggled back into the blankets and closer to the warm body sprawled out next to her. It was Sunday morning and neither she nor Hatter had to work. It was rare for them to have very much free time together, especially since her classes had started again. Hatter worked a lot of hours at the tea shop, and Alice didn't fault him for it one bit. He was doing his best to turn the struggling business around and secure a stable future for them. He tried to hide it, but she knew he still worried. He had spent too much of his life going hungry to relax, and as she well knew nothing was ever certain in life.

The money she had coming from her part of Aunt Helen's inheritance should be arriving sometime in the next couple of days. They would make the purchase of the tea shop official, and she hoped it would settle him somewhat. She spent much of her time away from work and school at the tea shop with him, and Hatter loved having her there. His tea blends had proven to be very popular, and the unique names (many of which featured Alice) drew in people just to see what he had created for the special of the day. He delighted in teaching her about all the different types and grades of tea, and Alice was impressed by his depth of knowledge on the subject.

She knew for a fact that his very presence in the shop drew in customers. They came to have him pick a tea for them based on their mood (an increasingly popular game), or just to see him smile, flash his dimple and flirt harmlessly with them in his thick 'Yorkshire' accent. Hatter always laid it on a little thick for the customers. It was the conman coming out in him, but Alice still found it adorable. Besides…he made great money in tips.

Hatter had been amused that Jack's people had bothered to pair his inner-city Wonderland accent with the corresponding region of England on his passport and other legal documents. Hatter explained that his accent had marked him as low-class in Wonderland; he didn't expect the royals to go to the trouble for someone like him. They were certainly thorough. If he had waited around for them to finish the job they had started on his false records, he probably wouldn't have to be so concerned about getting deported. They _still_ had no confirmation that the American portion of his dual citizenship was valid.

She propped up her head on her hands and looked at the man that had crossed worlds to chase after her. She loved to watch him sleep. The filtered rays of sunlight streamed in through the window, lighting his face in a soft glow. In the beginning, when they had first moved in together, the slightest noise had woken Hatter. His dreams had been haunted by raging night terrors, and he rarely slept through the night before he shared his bed with Alice. He still had bad dreams some nights. He probably always would, but they had become infrequent, and Alice was usually able to soothe them away in his sleep by stroking his brow.

At present he was breathing deeply and evenly, the lines in his face relaxed and calm. She resisted the urge to trace a finger over his soft lips. She loved the mercurial nature of his face when he was awake, animated and _alive…_but at rest he was beautiful. Peaceful and soft and _hers._ She spared him one last once-over, yet again appreciative of the fact that he slept clad only in his boxers.

Alice moved from the bed gently, trying to keep from disturbing Hatter…although it took a lot more than that to wake him up these days. Despite his apparent deep slumber, she had not a doubt in her mind that he would be awake in an instant if she so much as stubbed her toe and said ouch. Once again, the time he had spent sleeping lightly to stay alive had left lasting marks. As buried as his old life had been, it would always be a part of him. It was part of what made Hatter himself, and Alice wouldn't have it any other way.

She put on the tea kettle, thinking to bring back her cup to bed with her. She had gotten used to her morning tea, and Hatter's '_Wake Up'_ tea was one of her favorites. She pulled it off of the stovetop as soon as it began to whistle; trying to keep as quiet as possible, but Hatter had wakened anyway.

He made his way to the kitchen after a few moments and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek as he took the proffered cup of tea from her hand. Hatter was _not_ a morning person, and she knew better than to try to engage him in conversation, but he always had a smile and a kiss for her in spite of it.

After Hatter had enough caffeine in his system to animate him, he hopped up and began gathering ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator. Alice smiled, it seemed as if she was getting a big breakfast this morning.

"Have I ever told you how glad I am that you can cook?" she asked.

"Nope. But you didn't need to; really…I've eaten your cooking, remember?" he groused.

Alice shot him a mock glare, "You are lucky that you are making breakfast for me right now or I'd smack you one for that little comment."

Hatter just laughed and gave her a heart-stopping dimpled grin.

She watched him busy himself making her breakfast (and as a bonus, he hadn't bothered to put on anything over his boxers), and found that she would be content to play out this scene many more times throughout their lives. She was glad that Hatter had stuck with her, had held on even though in the beginning she had done more than enough to chase him off…anyone else would have given up. Hatter wasn't like anyone else, though.

The morning passed slow and leisurely, a needed respite for both of them. Alice had said she wanted to go with Hatter to the Children's Hospital for his show there, and then they would go see Alice's mother. Alice felt a chill pass through her at the thought of telling her mother that she had accepted Hatter's marriage proposal. Her mother was supportive, understanding, and usually more of a friend than a mom these days, but she did have her blind spots.

Carol Hamilton liked Hatter, but thought they had gotten serious too quickly. She and Alice had argued heatedly when Alice had disclosed that she was putting up her inheritance money to buy out the tea shop that her boyfriend managed. Her relatively _new_ boyfriend. They had barely worked through that (and that was largely due to Hatter's interference in the matter), and now Alice would be springing this on her. She hoped that the proposal would reinforce her point that Hatter was _not_ using her. She was to be co-owner of the business, and after all, her major in college _was_ business. She might as well start early. Alice put it from her mind. Worrying about it didn't do a thing.

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They took the bus to the hospital; one of Hatter's least favorite modes of transportation. In his opinion it was a very small step up from the subway, but they didn't own a vehicle and taxicabs were expensive. He tried to get used to busses and subways, but he didn't think he ever would like them. He thought there were too many unknown variables associated with mass transit. It made him edgy and uncomfortable, but it got them where they needed to go quickly enough.

They entered the children's ward and headed for the reception area. Hatter smiled warmly at the doctor that had treated him while he was recovering from his broken ribs. He owed the man a large debt of gratitude for working with the finance department on his behalf, and all for something Hatter would have done for free. The doctor had been so impressed with the hat tricks show he had put on for the kids in the terminal ward that he had asked Hatter if he minded doing regular performances. Hatter had acquiesced, of course. He was a showman, and he loved having an audience. He also liked the warm feeling it gave him when those poor sick kids smiled at him and hugged him afterwards.

Hatter had been looking forward to the show. He had been working on some new tricks, and he thought the show he could put on for them now would make the last one pale in comparison. After all, he wasn't dragging along an IV tree with him this time or nursing any painful injuries. He was grateful for the doctor's help with the finance department, but he would have done this for the kids no matter what.

He grinned broadly at all the cheers his presence garnered and bowed. He smiled at Alice and winked as she sat down in the back of the room to watch him. She forgot sometimes how skilled he was. He did things that should be impossible with the lightest flicks of fingers and wrist. His hat danced up his arm, rolled across his shoulders, was tossed impossibly high but landed squarely on his head. She saw the nurses and staff were floored by his abilities, and she felt fierce pride that this incredibly sweet and talented man was _hers._

He greeted the new arrivals to the ward warmly, and spent another hour after his show teaching them a basic hat trick. He hugged them goodbye, and then went to speak with the staff and nurses, motioning Alice over to join him.

"I think that went well, din't it?" he asked the doctor.

"It was amazing, David, and the kids loved it. We'll see you again in a couple of weeks?" The doctor asked.

"Please…I go by Hatter. And yeah, I'll be here. Say…where is the little girl that lost her hair? About five? She was wearing that little pink knitted hat? I worked out something for her to do with a knit hat…just an easy little trick. She asked me about it last time," Hatter inquired.

The staff took the question as a cue to disperse, and Alice took Hatter's hand in hers. This was a terminal children's ward, although it was attached to the main hospital. Some kids got better and left, and some got worse. Alice had a bad feeling that it was the latter.

"Amber Gentry, I think you mean. She had leukemia," The doctor replied.

Hatter nodded, "Amber, yeah."

"I'm sorry, she passed. She had been fighting the cancer for three years. She was a tough little girl," he answered.

Hatter gripped her hand tightly. He blinked a couple of times, but managed to keep his composure. Alice knew him; this had hit him like a punch to the gut. He had understood academically that these kids were very sick, and that some of them would die. Understanding something and feeling the impact were two different things.

He swallowed hard and nodded, not trusting his voice.

The doctor noted his reaction and asked him gently if he was sure he wanted to come back again.

Hatter nodded again, "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

His voice had come out a little thready, but he meant the words.

"Good man," The doctor replied and clapped him on the shoulder as he turned to go.

Alice agreed wholeheartedly.

They left the children's ward and made their way through the maze of the main hospital and out the doors before Hatter was able to compose himself enough to speak.

"She was only five," he said softly.

Alice squeezed his hand, "It's sad."

He nodded, cleared his throat and allowed the sorrow he was feeling to come to the surface for a brief moment. He wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulders, she wrapped her arm around his waist, and he leaned his head on Alice's as they waited for their bus. She let him take comfort in her presence, glad to be there for him to lean on.

The bus let them out on their block, and it was only a short walk down the street to her mother's place. Alice glanced up at Hatter.

"Do you still want to do this today? It can wait," Alice asked him carefully.

Hatter snorted indelicately, but then gave her a wry smile, "I'm fine, love. Let's just get on with this."

Hatter had shaken off most of his melancholy by the time they stopped in front of her mother's doorstep, but unfortunately it was replaced with unease. Hatter trusted his instincts, and right now they were telling him '_run_.' Too bad he couldn't listen to them. If he was nervous, then Alice was all out panicked. He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly and pulled her into him for a hug. Alice breathed him in and let him calm her. It would be fine.

Carol answered the door with a smile and a hug for Alice. Hatter removed his hat as he crossed the threshold and gingerly returned the hug Carol had for him. He smiled nervously and tousled his hat-flattened hair.

"What do I owe this visit to?" Carol asked with a pleased smile.

She didn't get to see Alice nearly as much as she used to, and she missed her.

"We had something we needed to tell you. Can we maybe go sit down?" Alice asked.

Carol lost her smile, worry taking over, and led them into the living room. They sat, and Carol waited for the news…a thousand horrible thoughts chasing through her head at once.

"It's not bad news, Mom…it's just important," Alice said, noting her mother's mounting worry.

Carol nodded and relaxed infinitesimally.

Alice unclasped her hands from her lap and took Hatter's hand in hers. She had opened her mouth to speak when Carol cut her off. She had seen the matching rings.

"Did you elope?" Carol asked, outraged.

"What? No!" Alice replied.

She realized what he mom must have concluded when she saw Hatter's ring on his finger. She didn't even think about that. He wore his as an engagement ring…oops.

"But Hatter did ask me to marry him, and I said yes," Alice confessed.

Carol glared at Hatter, but he met her eyes levelly. He had told her before that he wanted to marry Alice. He _would_ marry her.

"You barely know each other! I know things seem wonderful now, but you need time together before you jump into something like this," Carol asserted.

Carol looked at Hatter, ice in her gaze, "If you are pressuring her, David…"

He winced at the use of his given name. She hadn't called him that since they first met, adopting his preferred 'Hatter' as his moniker.

"I couldn't pressure Alice into anything, as you well know. I left the date up to her, as a matter of fact," he argued.

Carol looked at Alice and relaxed somewhat. If they weren't getting married right away she would feel a whole lot better about this arrangement.

"How soon? Carol asked Alice.

Alice wavered, "I don't know…I'm not in a big rush or anything."

"How about two years from now?" Carol carefully suggested.

Alice spared a glance for Hatter to gauge his reaction. Except for a slight firming of his mouth she wouldn't have been able to see that he had been deeply offended by her mother's suggestion. Carol still didn't trust him. He had left the timing of the wedding entirely up to Alice, but she knew he wanted to be married…and his preference was for sooner rather than later.

"Not that far away, Mom. Six months at the latest," Alice disclosed.

Hatter squeezed her hand, acknowledging her consideration.

"And you might as well know right now that he's having some trouble with immigration, and if it looks like he's in any danger of getting deported we're getting married immediately," Alice stated boldly.

Hatter winced inwardly. He wished she would have left that bit off of it. Alice was beginning to lose her temper, and Hatter knew it would only make the situation worse. He nudged her with his knee, but she ignored the hint. Apparently she was still stinging from the last argument she'd had with her mum…also about him, and Alice hadn't taken to kindly to the jab about Hatter pressuring her into marriage.

Carol stood up upon hearing this comment and glared furiously at Hatter.

"You _are_ using her!" Carol accused.

Hatter's jaw dropped, "No. It's not like that," he countered.

Alice stood up and glared right back. That was the last straw.

"This was _my_ idea, not _his_. Can't you just trust me? Can't you just be happy for me?" Alice seethed.

Hatter stood up and faced Alice, his back to Carol.

"Calm down, this is not helping," Hatter said in a low tone.

Alice didn't even act as if she heard him.

"I just want don't want you to make a mistake that you will regret for the rest of your life," Carol argued.

Hatter stiffened and clenched his jaw, but didn't respond.

"Why the rush? You aren't pregnant are you?" Carol asked.

Hatter shot Alice a confused glance, he didn't understand the correlation.

"No!" Alice replied.

"Alice. Please calm down. She's just concerned, she's your mum," Hatter soothed.

Alice looked at Hatter, and what he saw in her face shattered him. He hated to see her hurting, and she was devastated by her mother's reaction.

Alice had anticipated her mother's disapproval, but she hadn't thought it would be taken quite to this degree. She thought maybe her mother would try to encourage her to wait…but attacking Hatter like this? She never saw it coming. She thought after last time they had argued that her mother had understood she would make her own decisions, and that she had a good enough head on her shoulders to make those decisions. Apparently not.

She still seemed to think that Hatter was intent on robbing her blind and using her to buy his business for him, all while marrying her to become an American citizen. It was ironic, considering how Alice had assumed he was using her throughout their time in Wonderland.

Hatter had to do something. He had to take that look off of Alice's face but he didn't know how…families were something he didn't really understand very well. He'd lost his so long ago, and what he _did_ remember was from a child's perspective. He took a deep breath. For Alice, he would try.

"Carol. Please understand…I love Alice with all me heart. I begged her to marry me for no other reason than I want her to be me wife. I know it seems like it is too fast…but we _are _ready. I hope that you can trust in Alice, even if you don't trust me," he persuaded.

"I don't approve of this, Alice," Carol asserted, ignoring Hatter's heartfelt pleas.

"Please, I don't want you to argue," he tried again.

Alice's lower lip trembled before she pressed her lips together in anger, "I had hoped you could be happy for me."

Hatter was at a loss. This was something that was beyond him. He stared at the two of them helplessly. Alice had got her stubborn streak from her mother, and they were both immovable at this point. He understood Carol's hesitancy, but the bottom line was that Alice was an adult. She needed to accept that, even if she didn't agree. Hatter was frustrated, hurt and saddened by Carol's reaction; he had truly thought they had come to an understanding.

Hatter put his arm around Alice, trying to give her some measure of comfort. When a tear tracked down her cheek his heart ached for her. He just wanted to marry his Alice. He didn't want this to be the fallout.

"Let's just go, love. Maybe she just needs some time to get used to the idea, yeah? Let's go home," Hatter murmured to her.

Alice nodded, "Okay."

"Mom, I hope you change your mind, but this is my life and it is my decision," Alice stated flatly.

Hatter retrieved his hat and followed Alice out the door. Carol stopped Alice at the threshold.

"Alice, I just want to protect you," Carol asserted.

"You can't, Mom," she argued.

"I know," Carol sighed.

She pulled Alice into a fierce hug, "I love you sweetheart. I do trust you. "

Alice brushed away her tears.

"We'll talk later okay?" Carol asked.

Alice nodded, "Okay."

"Hatter…" Carol said softly.

He turned to look at her, poised as if braced for a blow.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

He nodded slowly. "It's alright."

"No, it isn't. You are a wonderful man and I know that my daughter loves you. I didn't mean…" she began.

Hatter shook his head, "I understand. It _is_ alright. I just don't want the two of you rowing anymore."

Carol hugged him impulsively, "I _am _sorry though. I think you are good for her," Carol whispered.

Hatter and Alice walked back to their flat above the tea shop in silence, lost in thought. Hatter wrapped his arm around her protectively and Alice leaned into his body as they walked. Hatter hoped that Carol had meant what she said. He didn't want this incident to darken the joy they felt. It should be a happy time, and Carol should be a part of it.

Alice sighed in relief as they entered their flat. It felt good to be home. She pulled Hatter towards her for a hug. She sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hair. She broke away after a few moments and smiled up at him.

"What do you say to Stephano's pizza for dinner?" she asked.

He smiled down at her, "I say you know how to cheer a man up."

She laughed, "If that cheers you up, wait until you see what I have in mind for desert!"

Hatter groaned, "Ah, love. Now how am I going to be able to eat with that on my mind?"

"What? A cannoli? They _are_ good, but come on…" she groused.

"Wicked girl!" he complained, and then kissed her breathless.

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A/N: Wow. Got a little long winded here. I hope you liked this! Please do review if you did (or didn't). Reviews inspire and feed the muse!

**I know, a lot of reiterating past happenings, but I was trying to set up the first chapter as a sequel. Hope it came across as intended.**

**Okay so when I moved in with my boyfriend (now my husband of over 15 years) my mother disowned me. No joke. (She asked me to lunch a week later. Heh.) It's still a little awkward between them. I wanted better for Alice and Hatter, but writing is a catharsis…and I catharsi-zed. (my fic, my word). So…. they got the reaction…but also the recovery. My mother is a strong independent woman, but even when I was an adult she thought to protect me from myself. Hell, she still does. Ah. Anyways…thought I'd share. Now on to angry Connor…**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well here we are! This one is *ahem* a little bit different from my usual fare…I **_**do**_** hope you enjoy it and maybe see why I felt the content of this chapter was so necessary.**

**To my most lovely reviewers: Thank you! I am overcome by the amount and the nice content of the reviews I got for my first chapter. Talk about a happy muse! Thank you! I was a bit concerned about it, and I am glad that ya'll liked it.**

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Chapter 2

They sat across from each other at Stephano's and waited for their pizza to arrive. It was their recipe for comfort and an inside joke between them…pizza and lots of other things. She was pretty certain that Hatter had implicit plans for the 'other things' part of the evening. She smiled to herself at the thought; the newness and desire for each other had yet to wane as it did in many relationships. It still took the merest of looks, the slightest brush of fingertips, a word…a breath on the back of her neck to waken hunger between them. She hoped it would stay like this forever, and she truly believed that it would.

Although her mother had blown up at the news of their engagement initially, Alice was relieved that she had relented in the end. Still, her relief was dampened by the fact that she was keenly aware that her mom still disapproved. Alice was more upset on behalf of Hatter than for herself. She knew he had become very fond of her mother; it broke his heart for her to mistrust him and strike out at him.

Alice hated to fight with her mom. They had done a lot of fighting from the age of about twelve through seventeen or so. She had thought that those days were behind them; they had become close friends in her adulthood. As much as she loved her mother, she couldn't let her treat her future husband like that. She hoped Hatter was right; she just needed a little time to get used to the idea.

Hatter studied his fiancée, noting how unsettled she still was. He wished he could make the situation better, but he didn't know how.

"She was just trying to protect you," Hatter said finally.

"That's your job now," Alice replied with a soft smile.

"That it is, love. Wish I could do something for ya now," he replied.

"You _are_ doing something," she countered.

She reached across the table and took his hands in hers. He nodded in understanding. He grinned and kissed her knuckles, his heart made lighter by her admission.

"Explain something to me, love?" he asked.

"What?" Alice replied curiously.

Hatter's 'explain this' questions had tapered off as he adjusted to her world and learned to find the answers he sought for himself. She still got them on occasion though, and they had begun to be harder ones that even she had difficulty explaining. Hatter was a fast study; he seemed like he was native to her world most days.

"Why did your mum ask if you were pregnant?" he asked.

He had turned it over and over in his head, and he was still not sure what the connection was. Married couples often had children…but other than that, he was stymied.

Alice started to answer, paused, and then opened and shut her mouth again. She wondered how to explain it so that Hatter could understand.

"You know, it sounds like a simple question but I guess it's a little complicated." She answered.

"How so?" He asked, his brow quirked in inquiry.

"Short answer? In some countries, to include this one, some people consider it amoral to have children out of wedlock," she explained.

Hatter's brow furrowed, he was turning the information around in his mind. She could see him trying to puzzle it out; she would try to explain as best she could.

"I guess Wonderland isn't big on moral decay?" Alice joked.

Hatter chuckled, "Nope."

"There are a lot of couples out there that got married for the sole reason that they had made a baby together. You can probably image how well that turns out. It's also sort of a 'do the right thing' thing. If you help make it, take care of it," she expounded.

"Ah," Hatter said simply.

She saw him digest her words, nodding to himself as he came to a conclusion.

"It's the Puritan thing then, for the most part. I read about that. Puritans came from England to here and brought their religion and ideology along. Makes sense that it would still have a sort of impact on how people live," he related.

"Well, I take it back. Not so complicated to explain to you," Alice laughed, "You probably know more about it than I do," she pronounced.

He shrugged depreciatingly, "I read a lot. I just didn't get the connection at first."

Alice laughed, "You never cease to amaze me."

Hatter flashed her a broad dimpled grin and a wink, "I take that as a complement."

They dug into their pizza, enjoying the good food and warm companionship. By the time they had finished their meal they both had put the worst of the day behind them. True to her word, Alice ordered a giant cannoli for the two of them to split. Hatter gave her an eye roll as she ordered.

Despite the eye roll, after the first bite he was inclined to agree with Alice. Dessert was delicious, but thanks to Alice he still had other things in mind for later. Evidently so did she. He groaned as she licked the cannoli filling from her fingers, and then from his...teasing him mercilessly.

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Back at home, they settled together on the couch as they drank their tea. It was Hatter's favorite part of the day. He loved the comfortable companionship he had with Alice. She was unlike anyone he had ever known, a study in contradictions. The dichotomy of strength and vulnerability in her was what had initially intrigued him, and now she was _his, _for him to love forever. He breathed in the scent of her hair as she leaned in close to him and began their nightly question and answer session.

It had started sometime when she had stayed with him to help him recover from his broken ribs and punctured lung. It had been a game of sorts; a way for them to get to know all of the little things about each other. They had generally stayed pretty clear of sensitive topics, trying to keep the conversations light and relaxing. They had ended up discussing some fairly serious topics anyway, but most of the time the questions were almost silly.

It was his turn to start off tonight. He racked his brain for something good. They had both had a hell of a day, and he desperately wanted to end it well. He smirked as he came up with a good question, the perfect mix of something he was curious about and a gently teasing jab at Alice.

"What was the first thing you _attempted_ to cook?" he asked lightly.

Alice chuckled and reached behind her to tap him on the cheek.

"Smartass. It was scrambled eggs, I'll have you know," she answered.

"How'd they taste?" he asked.

"About like they do when I cook them now," she answered wryly.

Hatter laughed softly, "Your turn."

"What was the first thing you learned to cook?" she asked.

He smiled, "Scones. From me mum. She was a great cook. She taught me how, 'cause I liked to eat so much, she said. She wanted me to be able to feed me self if I had to."

"Well I can vouch for that. Okay, you're up," Alice said.

"Mmm. Running out of the safe ones. How about an unsafe one?" he asked.

"How about unsafe-ish?" she replied.

Hatter laughed, "You don't have to answer, alright?"

"Okay, but you know I'd tell you anything, right?" she replied seriously.

"Yeah, but you don't have to," he argued.

"Ask!" she demanded.

"Alright!" he capitulated, his voice raising.

"How old were you…your first time? It doesn't matter, I'm just curious. You don't have to answer," he asked.

"You have to answer too. And it doesn't count as my question," she bargained.

"Ouch. Okay. I'll tell you. Only fair," he replied.

"I was um…seventeen. And it was _such_ a disappointment," Alice admitted.

"Hmm. Lemme guess, he was seventeen too, eh?" he asked.

"Eighteen actually, and I think he was not so experienced either. I guess the good thing is that I wasn't really attached to the first guy," she replied humorously.

He bent his head and kissed her on the cheek, and then her ear, breathing a warm breath over her neck to make her shiver against him.

"I hope you never say such things about me," he breathed.

Alice chuckled softly, "Like there is any danger of that…and stop trying to distract me. It's your turn to answer."

"Worth a try, yeah?" he asked.

"Hatter…" she warned.

"Fifteen. It wasn't so great either," he answered shortly.

He didn't want to think about it too deeply, and he regretted bringing up the subject. It had been his first lesson about 'liking people.' She had liked the fact that he had something she wanted (food, if he remembered correctly), not him. She had been none to kind when his performance was less than stellar. It wasn't the best of memories, but it was more embarrassing than painful.

Alice didn't press. She didn't want to ruin the mood, and she had been working her way to a more serious question anyway. She didn't want him focused on bad memories when she asked him. Alice thought hard. Hatter was a tricky one for this game. He had a lot of memories, but not many of them good. She usually went for more generalized questions so he could pick an answer he felt suitable answering.

"Do you speak any other languages?" she asked.

"Ah, back to safe topics then?" he asked with a sardonic smile.

"Not necessarily, I just thought of that one," she defended.

"Latin. And a smidge of Ancient Underspeach," he answered easily.

"You speak _Latin?"_ she asked incredulously.

"Well, no. Not exactly…I read it though. Not a lot of call to speak it, but I taught myself so I could read some of the older texts that showed up in the Library. I probably _could_ speak it. I know the phonetics of it…" he mused.

Alice assumed the Ancient Underspeach was a Wonderland thing.

"I can barely remember a few phrases from high school Spanish class," she laughed.

"Alright love, my turn," Hatter said.

"Sunrise or sunset?" he asked.

"Well, that depends on the day," she answered sarcastically.

"Aw, come on," he wheedled.

"I have always loved sunsets. Seems like the world changes…becomes softer somehow. Is that silly?" she asked.

"No, love. Not at all," he replied.

"Your turn," he said softly.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the nearness of her. The worries of the day had fallen away. He picked up his cup for another sip.

"Hatter, how do you feel about having a baby?" Alice asked.

He choked on the drink of tea he had just taken.

"What? Now?" he asked, his voice raising an octave.

He almost dumped her on the floor he shifted position on the couch so quickly. Scrambling, he grabbed hold of her arm and caught her before she fell. Alice bit her lip to keep from laughing at him. He looked equal parts stunned, terrified, and panicked.

"No. _Not_ now. Really, really, _not_ now. I'm just asking if you wanted kids someday," Alice reassured him.

"Oh," Hatter replied softly.

He was almost a little disappointed, although now was not a good time for a baby. He wanted the business established, Alice finished with her school, and enough help at the tea shop so that he could spend time with his family…if he had one. It occurred to him he had never asked Alice the same question, and he wasn't sure how she would feel about it. He thought it would be one of those trigger questions for her, and despite everything, he still held onto the deep fear that she would run from him someday. He would do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing…and she'd be gone.

"You know, for a very long time I had believed that I didn't have the option," he replied after a few moments thought.

"Why not?" Alice asked.

She thought she knew the reason, but she wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Lots of reasons. I didn't ever have someone I wanted to have a child with, for one. I didn't think I would live long enough to raise one for another," he candidly replied.

_I didn't think I deserved one_, went unsaid. He had ached for a family of his own, but in an unrequited abstract sort of way. That is, until Alice. He wanted her to have his children; he wanted a little girl just like her, with her spirit and goodness.

"Someday, when you have finished your school and the tea shop is off the ground…I would. That is, if you do. I am in no rush," he admitted.

"Do you, Alice?" he asked, his voice gently hopeful.

She smiled at him. He was trying to be so delicate about it. And though she appreciated the reasons why…she wanted him to be forthright.

"Yeah. Someday. I like the thought of having you to myself for a little while first. Call me greedy…" she said plainly.

Hatter laughed…his full out rolling laughter that lit up his eyes and exuded joy. He pulled her back against him on the couch again. He hugged her gently.

"Sorted. That's good then," he pronounced.

Alice settled in against him, content that they shared similar views of the direction they were heading.

"Last question, better make it count. It's your turn," Alice challenged.

Hatter debated asking a number of things, but settled on a question that met the criteria of 'making it count.' He felt a little trill of fear go through him, chased by nervousness. For most things of this nature he was confident and sure of himself. This was different.

"Did you ever fancy the thought of tying me up?" he asked, his voice low.

Alice remembered the flash of interest in his eyes when she threatened him with that very thing once. She wouldn't have thought it would be something he was interested in…he was _very_ dominant in the bedroom. Maybe that was it then…the relinquishing of control. The thought of him powerless and squirming caused a flush of arousal. She _liked_ his dominance, she did…but this would be an… _interesting _experience. And Alice fully understood the amount of trust that asking this of her showed.

"Have you ever done that before?" she asked curiously.

"No," he breathed against her ear.

It was a new thing. Ever since Alice had jokingly said she would tie him down to keep him still, he couldn't get the thought out of his mind. This was more than her asking him not to move…this was something greater.

Alice tilted her head to look up at his face. He was waiting for her answer, holding his breath, his face cautious.

"Hmm," she purred, "I think I do."

He swallowed hard, looking more nervous than he did before she answered him. He looked as if he might speak, but no words came out. Alice felt a thrill of excitement race through her at the sight of her confident, cocky Hatter made so unsure… especially in an area where he excelled.

"Are you asking me to?" she challenged.

She turned to face him fully, wanting to see the truth of the answer behind his dark eyes. He drew in a shuddering breath, his uncertainty fading as he looked into Alice's stormy blue eyes. He saw the arousal waking within her and knew that with Alice he could be honest. He could tell her all of what he wanted… whatever it was; she wouldn't be frightened or disgusted or ashamed. She had seen the darkest parts of him, and had embraced him in spite of it. This was no different.

"Yes," he whispered, his voice escaping like a sigh.

Alice smiled her wicked smile and raised an eyebrow. She was sure they were in for an interesting evening.

TBC

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A/N: So…what did you think? I hope you like it. :) Reviews are love…

**The M-rated excerpt… aka Missing Reel for this chapter is titled 'Questionable Surrender.' **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Whew…this one took a while, and it is ginormous. I do hope you like…**

**Thanks to my readers, and especially my reviewers :D You have no idea how happy you make me!**

**Oh, and if you are one of my lemony M rated Missing Reel readers, insert "Questionable Surrender" right before this chapter. *wink* (and thanks to those of you that read/reviewed...I'm glad it delivered!)**

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Chapter 3

Mondays were busy for them both. Hatter would be attending Alice's beginner class in the morning; she had a college course that day, plus yet another class to teach in the evening followed by her own black-belt class. Hatter usually tried to come and watch those, if he was done closing up the tea shop in time. Alice puttered around in the kitchen quietly; she had woken much earlier than usual and she didn't want to wake Hatter too early. He was getting worn down from all the hours he was putting in and the stress of trying to implement the changes he felt were necessary to pull in a profit before they actually had the funds to do so. To top it off, they usually were up quite late at night…although she wouldn't dream of trying to change that.

She sat down at the computer and logged into her bank account. She was expecting the check from Aunt Helen's estate to be deposited any day now. She grinned and let out a small exclamation of joy as she saw the astronomical figure in her bank account. It looked like tomorrow would be even busier than today. She had to make an appointment with her mom's lawyer and get him to draw up the documents to buy out the tea shop. It would finally be _theirs_. Really and truly belonging to them. Alice wanted to wake Hatter and tell him the news…he would be so relieved. Still, he needed the sleep. She would wait, as hard as it was.

She busied herself with surfing the net looking for things for the tea shop while she waited for Hatter to wake. If he wasn't up soon, she would have to wake him up anyway. She put the kettle back on and got his cup ready for him. Alice was already on her fourth cup. When it was ready she wandered back into the bedroom and stared down at her sleeping fiancé. She leaned in close to him and kissed his ear.

"Wake up…tea is ready," she murmured.

He groaned and pulled the blanket up over his head. Alice sighed. Her eyes lit on his bare foot peeking out from under the blanket. She traced her nails under the soft arch of his foot. He jerked away and grumbled louder.

"Hatter…we have class. I can't let you sleep any longer. Get up," she ordered.

He peeked out at her from under the blanket, "But s' warm and comfy."

She rolled her eyes and walked out. He would be up in a few minutes…she had gotten words out of him so she knew he was awake.

She waited impatiently for him to take his first sip of tea; she couldn't hold the news in any longer.

"The money is in. It's in my account. Hatter…we can buy the shop now," Alice spilled out.

Hatter set down his cup with a clatter. He grinned his full out blindingly bright smile at her and picked her up and swung her around, laughing.

"Brilliant! What now?" he asked.

"Well, I'll call a lawyer; we'll draw up a contract. You need to talk with James today and get all the details. Then we do the purchase and transfer and then that's it. We'll own it. I'll take care of the tax and legal part of things, if you want me too," she offered.

He nodded, "That would be good, love. I have been reading up on it some, but frankly it is all a little confusing," he admitted.

"Oh, it is confusing for everyone, believe me. Why do you think I have been in school for almost four years?" she added sardonically.

She was glad he had readily accepted her help. She did want to be a part of the business, and the inventory, managing, and people portion was all going to fall squarely on Hatter. Alice wasn't so good with people. Hatter was a _master_ with people. It worked out for them; they filled the other's strengths and weaknesses well.

* * *

Class was fun for them both. Hatter was steadily improving, and she thought he genuinely enjoyed learning martial arts from her. He had a natural aptitude and grace of movement. Once he had learned the basics, he had rapidly improved. She told him after class that he could test for his yellow belt soon, which drove another conversation about belt testing and progression. He had grinned to hear that he wouldn't be a white-belt for too much longer. He hated being a novice at _anything_. In truth, he had progressed faster than any other beginner student she had ever had. Jack had taken a full six weeks of classes twice a week to get to the point Hatter had been at on his third class.

As she was getting ready to leave, her sensei reminded her that he expected her to be ready for the upcoming tournament at the end of the week. He thought her shoulder was rehabilitated enough, and Alice had quite a few students participating. Alice had forgotten all about it, in truth. She had been focused on making her new life with Hatter, and it had slipped her mind. She agreed that she was healed enough, and then took the entry form with her to fill out and mail in.

Alice told Hatter about it on the way home; he had cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her as she explained it. This tournament was local, and Hatter immediately voiced his desire to watch her compete. He had seen his Alice in action, and he found it hard to believe that she could lose to anyone. She cautiously broached the fact that if she won, she would be competing in a tournament out of state. Even if _she_ wasn't competing, if any of her students made it that far, she would be going.

Hatter grew silent at the news. He couldn't leave the tea shop for any great length of time. Even if he hired a new employee or two they would never be ready to take control of the shop for a few days. She would have to leave him again. He struggled with the words that he wanted to say, but the thought of Alice leaving…even for a short period…had him tied up in knots (and not in the good way). He knew that this was an important part of her life; he wouldn't try to separate her from it. He would miss her, but if he had learned anything from the time they had been together, it was that Alice would _always_ come back to him.

"I wish I could go with you," he said finally.

Alice nodded, "Me too."

"I need some employees, yeah? Maybe next time I can come along," he lamented.

Alice laughed, "You trust someone else in your tea shop?"

"Well, no. But if it is that, or to be away from you…I'll get over it," he admitted.

He shrugged, "Besides, I can have James check up on them."

She nodded, "I'm glad you are okay with this…you _are,_ aren't you?"

He walked with her silently the up the steps to their little flat above the tea shop. Alice waited for him to answer, knowing that he was trying to work out how to explain what he was feeling. He unlocked the door and entered after her. She turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"You don't want me to go, do you?" she asked.

He sighed, "No. I don't _want_ you to, but I understand why you are. What I don't want is to stop you from doing something that is important to you. I just miss you when you are away," he explained.

She took him by the collar and kissed him.

"I miss you, too. I don't want to go without you…" she started.

"But you should…it's okay. Really," he finished.

Alice nodded her acceptance. He was right. Next time, he could come along. And really, it was only a few days. She slapped him on the ass and told him to hurry up in the shower; he had to be at work soon. He grinned and went, although he had to throw out an invitation to join him over his shoulder. She laughed and told him they were running late already. He peeled off his t-shirt as he walked away and Alice did some quick calculating…she didn't _really _need to eat. She'd grab an apple on the way to class…or take a cab.

Alice was still getting dressed when the doorbell rang. Hatter traded a questioning glance with her and shrugged. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and went to answer the door. Alice had _finally_ managed to break him from answering the door in his boxers. Although the post lady had been terribly appreciative of the view, Alice felt a lot better knowing her fiancé wasn't embarrassing every person that came to their door. The pizza delivery boy came to mind first off…he had thought he was getting propositioned.

Hatter answered the door, surprised to see Carol standing in the entryway. He glanced down self-consciously and wished he had grabbed a shirt. He ordinarily didn't spare much thought for such things, but Alice's mother was a special case. He hurried to invite her in and asked her if she would like a cup of tea while she waited. She declined, but sat down on the couch to wait for Alice.

He lifted his chin as she stared at the various scars that marred his torso, upper body and arms. He was going to be married to her daughter, he supposed she could look if she liked. He wondered if Alice was going to have to field still more uncomfortable questions about him now. She was rubbish at making things up; he wondered what she would say.

Alice dressed faster as she heard her mother's voice in their living room. Her face burned with embarrassment. One look at their shared wet hair and Hatter's state of half-dress and her mother would know exactly what they had been doing. _So_ embarrassing. She was close to her mom, but there were some things that she did _not_ want to share. Alice came into the living room before Hatter came in to get her.

"I have to get ready for work…lovely to see you, Carol," Hatter smiled, and then made a rapid exit.

Carol smiled back awkwardly and waved him off before turning to Alice.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

"I just wanted to talk…would you like to go to lunch?" Carol asked hopefully.

"Well, okay. Can you drop me off at my class after?" Alice asked.

"Sure, hon. Go ahead and get ready. I'll just wait for you," Carol agreed easily.

Hatter raised his eyebrows at her as she returned to their bedroom.

"What is it?" he asked.

Alice rolled her eyes, "She wants to take me for lunch. I'm thinking apology? She's going to take me to class though, so I should have time if I leave right away."

"Ah. She's gonna ask about this I bet," he said quietly, gesturing to the scars on his chest and stomach.

Alice raised her eyebrows, "You think?"

He nodded, "Yeah. She was looking at 'em. Sorry…I didn't think to grab a shirt."

Alice looked at him sharply, "Never, ever... apologize to me for that. What you went through…" she said, her voice broke.

She swallowed and cleared her throat. She stared him in the eyes fiercely.

"Never! You understand?" she said, more softly.

Hatter nodded, taken aback, "I understand. I just don't like you to tell lies on my behalf."

Alice smiled gently, "I know. I'll figure out something."

He bent and kissed her forehead, "Better hurry, love. I'll see you after you get out of class?"

"Yeah. I'll stop in for a little while and bring you something to eat."

Hatter finished dressing and went down to talk to James. He hoped that he was going to be pleasantly surprised that Hatter had managed to come up with the money needed to buy out the shop. James could retire, and just work in the shop a few hours a week. Hatter planned to ask him to transition into a manager of sorts after he had hired a couple more employees. He was dead serious about wanting to be able to spend more time with Alice. He figured it couldn't be _too_ hard. After all, he'd had Dormie working for him…how much worse could it get?

* * *

James smiled as David came around the back counter. The young man had done wonders with the tea shop; he wished he would have had him as a manager a year ago. He thought that David might actually stand a chance of buying out the tea shop at the rate he was going. Profits had improved dramatically, and the tea shop was busier than ever. This week he was offering a cream tea, and already sales of the traditional English baked goods were good.

"Do you have a moment, James?" Hatter asked with a smile.

"Sure…something wrong?" James replied.

"No…I just have a bit of news," Hatter explained.

They sat down in a couple of the deep cushiony lounge chairs. The shop was at a quiet lull at this time of day; it was unlikely that their conversation would be interrupted. Hatter smiled again, he couldn't help it.

"Well, Alice and I have put together enough money to buy out the shop," Hatter said.

James leaned back, stunned. "How?"

"Alice inherited some money," he explained.

"Oh. Well that is great news," James answered.

He still looked more stunned than pleased, though. Hatter started to worry. He hoped that James' offer to sell had been genuine.

"I want you to stay on…like you said before. That is, if you still want to," Hatter offered.

James nodded numbly, "Of course. Yes, I'd like that."

James grinned at him suddenly as the news seemed to sink in. He clapped Hatter on the back.

"I didn't know if you could pull it off, son. I thought for certain that this tea shop was doomed. My wife would be so happy," James divulged.

* * *

Alice and her mother sat down across from each other in a restaurant near the university that Alice attended. Alice ordered a sandwich and a coffee, and braced herself for whatever her mom would throw at her.

Carol Hamilton smiled at her daughter nervously. She hardly knew what to say to her anymore. Alice had changed since that night that she ran off after her boyfriend Jack to return the ring he had left with her. Alice had professed that Jack was _different_, but sure enough as soon as he made a mention of commitment she was done with him.

Alice had never gotten serious with any man…not really. Carol had approved of her philosophy of dating for fun at first. After all, Alice was young and she didn't need to be in a rush to settle down. As Alice continued to cast aside all the men she dated in rapid succession, Carol began to think that maybe Alice was taking it a bit too far. At the rate she had been going, she would never settle. Carol wanted her to find someone, and she loved Hatter as a _boyfriend _for her daughter…just…it was so _fast. _And she knew he was hiding something.

Carol had married Robert quite young, just out of high school, and then rushed into having a baby their first year of marriage. Look where that had got _her._ Carol imagined that Robert had decided that he wasn't happy that his youth was gone to a wife and child and just…left. She had accepted it, but she wanted Alice to not make the same mistakes as she had. They needed to really get to know each other before they jumped into marriage. Longer than Alice's suggested six months, at least! Still, Alice was grown. She couldn't protect her from everything, as much as she'd like to. She was afraid she would be out of her daughter's life completely if she continued to oppose this wedding. Alice was remarkably defensive of her…fiancé.

"So…you are set on marrying him right away?" Carol asked carefully.

"Mom. Six months is not right away. And I have known him for a long time, actually. We just didn't date," Alice countered.

"Why did I never meet him then?" Carol questioned.

Alice began to set her jaw in anger and Carol relented.

"Never mind. If it is truly what you want, then I'll let it go," Carol soothed.

Alice nodded and swallowed back her anger. She wished she could explain…tell her everything. Of course, her mom would commit her, and she didn't find straitjackets to be a fashion statement she would like to make…but still. She didn't like to lie, and she wished Hatter could relax and be himself around her mother.

"It is, Mom. I love him and he's just…the one," Alice explained.

"Well, let me take a look at that ring," Carol smiled.

Alice showed it off proudly. It was beautiful and unique and suited Alice perfectly. Hatter had chosen well.

"So he is wearing his ring why?" Carol asked curiously.

Alice laughed, "I told him men don't wear engagement rings, and he said 'this one does.'"

Alice shrugged helplessly, "He is a little…eccentric at times."

"A little? More than a little. But he is very sweet," Carol complemented.

Alice smiled warmly, "Yeah, he is."

"He has some pretty nasty scars…" Carol broached curiously.

Alice's smile got brittle. Hatter was right. She was asking. She racked her brain for something she could say. How could she explain something like that? She settled on something that would have enough truth in it to not qualify as an all out lie, but it should also prevent any further awkward questions.

"He, um…well you know how he said his parents died when he was pretty young? He was on his own for a while," Alice related.

"He was a street kid?" Carol asked.

She was even more worried about Alice getting taken advantage of, now.

Alice saw the calculating look and followed the train of thought her mother had taken. It wasn't quite what she had hoped for. She would try again. She felt guilty for it, but she didn't want her thinking Hatter was someone to be afraid of. (Ironic, because he _was_ if you were on the wrong side of him.) She hated this…Hatter would hate it more. She started to tell her mom that he just had a really bad foster family…but then stopped herself. The truth was best.

"Yeah, he was. And he clawed his way out of it. He made something of himself, and he did it on his own and with no help from anyone. He's smart and resourceful and brave to a fault. He's survived things that would break most people, but he never used that as an excuse for anything," Alice expounded vehemently.

Carol still looked wary, but she nodded. It explained a lot to her, actually. She couldn't help the surge of compassion for Hatter. To lose his parents and then to have to survive on his own…he must be a strong person to survive it as well as he did.

* * *

Hatter had hammered out the details with James; he would meet with the lawyer after they had the contract drawn up, and then it would be done. Business picked up, and he stayed busy. Alice would be by to see him soon; he hoped everything had gone well with her mum. He started crafting his daily special for tomorrow…he was thinking something celebratory.

Alice stopped in to bring Hatter some food after her college class and before her evening karate class. She told him that things had gone relatively well with her mother, and that she was hopeful that Carol had accepted the thought of their getting married. He told her that James had been thrilled at the news, and had said he was ready to sign over the deed as soon as possible. Alice made a few calls before she had to leave, and set up their appointment with the lawyer for the next day. Her mother's lawyer was an old family friend and he was happy to squeeze in an appointment for 'little Alice.'

Alice proudly displayed her new ring to her friends at the dojo, and was warmed by the happy congratulations that she got from them. It was nice that _someone_ was happy for them. She rather uncomfortably fielded questions about Hatter from a few of the students that had met him when he had attended a couple of her Monday afternoon classes. She didn't mind exactly, but she wasn't used to dishing about guys with other women. She just didn't have many close friends. Still, it was nice to be able to gush to an interested and appreciative audience.

Hatter crept into the dojo during the last thirty-five minutes of her black-belt class. They were sparring this evening in preparation for the upcoming tournament, and Alice thought Hatter might be interested to see how scored sparring worked. She watched him settle into one of the folding chairs, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his hat tipped back on his head. She caught his eye and smiled briefly to let him know she saw him there. His dimple flashed in his cheek as he grinned back.

Alice once again demonstrated just how good she was as she took down a number of opponents. She winced a couple of times when her shoulder got twisted awkwardly, but other than that she was in good form. He could see why her sensei wanted her to compete…she was a walking advertisement for the dojo. After the class ended he stood up to meet her as she jogged over to him.

A few of the other black-belt students wandered over to them after she had given him a quick peck on the cheek in greeting. Hatter found himself suddenly surrounded on all sides, but they were smiling and patting him on the shoulder, trying to shake his hand. He gripped Alice's hand tightly and pasted on his charming smile. After a few seconds it got through to him that they were congratulating him on their betrothal. He was overcome suddenly…all these people happy for him and Alice. He was unsure how to react; he had never been in this particular situation before. He looked to Alice for guidance.

She was smiling, she looked happy and pleased and a little bit uncomfortable to be the center of so much positive attention. He didn't think that she was much more used to it than he was. It was kind of…nice.

A burly dark haired dusky-skinned man with a worn and frayed black belt, and a petite cheery woman with a much newer black belt came over after most of the others had cleared out. Alice hugged them both warmly and smiled brightly.

"Dennis, Erica…this is my Hatter," Alice introduced.

Erica grinned broadly, "I have heard a lot about you! Congratulations!"

Hatter smiled back at her; she was the type you _had _to smile back at. Her husband, however, was not looking at him so cheerfully. Dennis proffered his hand; Hatter took it.

"You treat Alice right. Don't you hurt her," he cautioned, in his thick Puerto Rican accent.

He squeezed Hatter's hand a bit harder than was necessary, but Hatter didn't react.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Hatter replied gravely, meeting the other man's eyes.

Dennis must have been satisfied with what he saw there, because he laughed and clapped Hatter on the back.

Alice ran back to get her gear, and they walked home together. He'd hardly seen her all day…he missed her. He was glad to have her to himself again. He pulled her closer against him and kissed her hair.

After they stepped through the threshold of their home, Hatter pulled Alice to him in a warm embrace.

"I hate days like this when I hardly see you. I missed you," he murmured.

Alice buried her face in his neck and breathed him in.

"Missed you too," she answered.

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A/N: Well folks I hope you enjoyed it! The next few chapters we'll start getting into a few twists….promise. The seeds are there. :D Remember, my muse survives off of reviews :) Please do review if you like (or not).


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the wait folks…this chapter was tough going. My Primeval fic kept trying to distract me into writing another chapter before I had finished this one. I didn't give in. No siree.**

**Thanks for all the most excellent reviews! I kept re-reading them to get me going :) Hope you enjoy…**

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Chapter 4

Hatter hadn't had any of his horrible nightmares in a long time. He had told Alice that she kept them away. She said that was a sweet sentiment, but she thought it was most likely due to the fact that in her world he didn't have to worry so much about someone killing him while he slept. The worst dreams he had experienced recently were the barest beginnings of bad dreams; she was able to soothe them away with a hand at his brow and a kiss. He was right about one thing; her touch seemed to chase them away.

This night was different. It began with him speaking words under his breath as he slept… muttering nonsense. It was enough to wake Alice. He was sweating, his skin radiated heat, and his voice didn't sound like his own. Small and weak and terrified…she heard him call her name. And then he began to shudder and cry out, his hands tore at the sheets. She tried to smooth his brow, brush her fingers through his thick hair…but it just got worse this time.

She tried to wake him gently, but he didn't respond. He started to thrash and Alice had to move back to avoid getting hit. He screamed and sat bolt upright…but he didn't see her. His chest was heaving and his eyes wide open and panicked. She took his face in her hands and said his name…his eyes cleared.

"Alice?" he asked, his voice ragged.

"I'm here," she answered, her tone low and soothing.

He pulled her to him closely and breathed her in.

"You were gone…" he whispered, his voice breaking.

"No. I'm here. Just a dream," she comforted, holding him to her tighter.

She felt him nod, but he didn't let her go. She felt each of his fingers digging into her back, but she didn't even contemplate complaining. She knew he would let go if she voiced any discomfort… she didn't want that.

A glass of water and twenty minutes later, a much calmer, but slightly embarrassed Hatter had lain back down to sleep. He wrapped his arms around her more closely than usual; he needed her near him. She didn't know what had brought this on, or why now…but she suspected it had to do with her leaving town in a couple of weeks.

He had told her she should go, and it was an important aspect of her job and of her life. Not only that, but her students would expect her to be there to coach. She didn't want to let them down. Guilt washed over her, but she knew there was no help for it. This was something that Hatter would just have to deal with, as sad as the thought made her. He would get more help for the shop, and in the future he could come along. Still…she wished she didn't have to leave him…even for a few days. Thoughts circling around and around just led to the same end. She didn't want to go, he didn't want her to go…but she was going. In the end she slept, and her own dreams were troubled.

* * *

Alice woke before Hatter, as usual, but it wasn't because she was refreshed or well rested. Her eyes were gritty, and she had a headache. She tried to go back to sleep, but unfortunately there was only so long that she could stay in bed before the urgent need to visit the bathroom drove her from it. After that, she gave up on getting more sleep.

Hatter woke an hour after her, bleary-eyed and exhausted. He felt like he had hardly slept at all and he was more than a little disappointed to wake without Alice beside him. More so than he should have been, considering he could hear her in the next room. He didn't want to suffocate her or to cling to her like a needy child, but he couldn't help wishing she was curled up next to him. He sighed and pushed himself out of bed; he couldn't let her see how much it bothered him that she was leaving. It was stupid of him to feel this way, he berated himself. They had been apart before, and he had survived it.

He made his way to the kitchen and to Alice. He smiled and kissed her softly as if nothing was bothering him. He ignored her concerned glance, pretending not to notice, sipping at his tea. Her soft concern morphed into a glare. Right. Like he thought that would work on Alice. Although he admired the fact that she could see through his bullshit, at times it was right inconvenient. Like now. He sighed deeply.

"I'm fine, Alice. Really. Can we just forget about it, yeah?" he asked.

She studied him, debating on whether or not she should just let it go. She nodded finally in acceptance and let him drink his tea in silence.

"Do you fancy some fried bread and marmalade? Or if you…" he began.

"No," Alice snapped.

He paused, taken aback, "No?"

"No, you don't fancy that, or you don't want anything at all?" He asked with an edge to his voice.

"Look, I'm just not hungry. Leave me alone about it," she retorted.

"Fine!" he snapped back.

She narrowed her eyes at him and went to the main room to watch TV; she decided she would let him wake up enough to not be a pain in the ass.

He let her go because she was in a mood that didn't invite conversation and he didn't feel much like talking anyway.

He ended up making toast.

Alice ignored him when he left the kitchen to get showered and dressed for the day.

"Alright?" he asked hesitantly as he passed by her in the main room.

She gave a noncommittal grunt and didn't look at him, staring at the TV instead. He rolled his eyes at her and threw up his hands before he walked away. He hoped she had snapped out of her mood before they met with the lawyer that evening. He wasn't feeling none too chipper himself, and he was a little short on patience.

He was buttoning his waistcoat when Alice came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He paused and leaned back into her embrace.

"Sorry. Just grouchy today," she apologized.

"S'okay. Me too," he acknowledged.

He turned to face her with brief twist of a smile, "Din't sleep too well."

"Yeah. I know. Me either," she replied wryly.

He kissed her forehead and hugged her to him briefly.

"Just trying to feed you breakfast," he grumbled, but his voice held warmth.

* * *

Alice was supposed to meet Hatter and James in the tea shop at four o'clock; they were going to meet with the lawyer and get the bones of the contract written up. The lawyer was also bringing a preliminary statement of sorts, to make the purchase official. Once the promissory statements were signed and the money changed hands it was as good as done...they would own the tea shop. The lengthier contract would fulfill certain other legal requirements, but the initial contract _was_ binding. Hatter was in a much better mood once he started thinking about that would mean for him and Alice.

He and James had agreed to shut down the tea shop for a few hours to allow them time to conduct their business. James insisted on taking over the remainder of the shift that evening. He said that Hatter should take Alice somewhere and enjoy the evening. Hatter broached the subject of hiring at least one additional person for the shop, and asked James if he would help to train them and watch over them if necessary. Ideally he wanted a few employees, and he could just manage…like he did back in Wonderland. It was a ways off before he could afford to do it; meanwhile one employee would be a tremendous help. He had already spoken with Alice about it, and she was all for it.

Alice came in at three-thirty, and she wasn't alone. Her friend Erica from the dojo was with her; he almost didn't recognize her in street clothes. He quirked an eyebrow at Alice, curious as to why she had brought a friend into the tea shop today. As usual, he showed her to her table, and then pulled over an additional chair for Erica.

"Two of the daily special," Alice ordered with a grin.

He smiled back, confused, "Okay."

Alice told Erica she would return shortly, and followed Hatter back behind the counter.

"She needs a part time job," Alice told him in a low tone as he begun to ready their tea.

"Ah. Was wondering why you brought her today," he admitted.

"She's a student…a wiz at computers…programming, all that sort of thing. She needs something flexible and …I trust her. Even better, she is likeable and friendly, and she will work for minimum wage if you schedule her around her classes and around the dojo," Alice pitched.

Hatter considered her words, "Computers?"

"Yeah. She's a genius. She's only twenty-three and she's almost done with her Masters', and all while working at the dojo," Alice gushed.

Hatter looked at her rather blankly.

"The higher level of school…it's a big deal," she expounded.

"You trust her?" he asked seriously.

Alice nodded, "I do. I don't have many friends…but Erica is one of them."

Hatter grinned suddenly. "It is your shop too, love. If you think it is a good idea, I do too. Does she know?" he asked.

"No. I wanted to talk to you, first. She thinks this is just to try one of your famous special tea blends," Alice replied.

"Hmm. Okay. Lemme talk to her though?" he asked.

"That was the idea," she answered with a good natured eye roll and a smile.

Hatter handed Alice her cup of tea, and then carried the other two back to the table. He sat it in front of Erica with a flourish, and then snagged another chair and sat with them.

"Tell me what you think," he said as Erica picked up her cup, but his eyes were all for Alice.

Alice took her sip, conscious of Hatter's eyes on her. It was citrusy and bright, tasting of jubilation and glee. It almost made her want to giggle. She closed her eyes and took another sip, trying to place the flavors…lime along with the orange, bergamot, ginger…

"What is it called?" Alice asked.

"Promise," he answered.

She smiled and grabbed his hand to give it a squeeze, "Good name."

Erica's eyes widened, "Wow."

Hatter's grin broadened to encompass her as well, "Thank-you."

"You made this? And it is just tea?" she exclaimed.

He nodded, "Yep."

"Just…wow. That is so cool! No wonder Alice brought me," she grinned, her bright blue eyes flashing.

Hatter appraised Erica as they spoke, taking in her ever cheerful voice, bright wide smile and disarming manner. Unlike his own charming facade, he could tell that Erica was exactly as she appeared…a genuinely nice and happy person. She was tiny, shorter than Alice although she was rounder. Her hair was a couple of shades lighter than Alice's, bound back in a thick braid that fell to her waist. She spoke animatedly, her words almost too quick for him to follow. She was more cute than pretty, but her personality was something special. He liked her. She would be a good fit for the tea shop.

He interrupted her constant flow of words with an amused smile and raised hand.

"Oh. Sorry. Just tell me to shut up, or wait until I take a breath and interrupt," Erica laughed.

Hatter chuckled in response.

"Alice said you might be interested in a job?" He asked.

Erica looked at Alice and smiled hopefully, "Really?"

"I need a little help on occasion…I can't pay much and it would only be a few hours a week," He warned.

Erica jumped out of her seat and hugged him spontaneously and then leapt back, mortified.

"Sorry! Sorry! I just lost my job a couple of weeks ago…and this is _really _good timing," She explained, tears standing in her eyes.

Alice hugged her briefly, "You are helping us out…honest."

"When do I start?" Erica asked brightly.

Hatter raised an eyebrow at Alice. When she raised her shoulder slightly in a shrug he figured that it was up to him.

"Come in tomorrow afternoon for a couple of hours and I'll show you around. Bring your schedule for school and the dojo and we'll sort out your hours, yeah?" he offered.

Erica grinned again, "Okay! Yay! Thank you both! Oh! I have to teach in like five minutes! Goottagobye!"

Bemused, Hatter watched her leave the tea shop; she reminded him of a small tornado. As unlikely a friendship as Erica and Alice seemed to have, he could easily see how his reserved Alice had been pulled out of her shell by the outgoing Erica. Sweet and open with not a trace of artifice to her, he couldn't help but like her. Alice trusted her, and that weighed very heavily with him. He knew firsthand that Alice didn't trust easily.

* * *

The meeting with the lawyer went smoothly, and was surprisingly quick. Their lawyer mentioned that the next meeting would be much lengthier and would involve considerably more paperwork. James would be bringing his own lawyer in on that one. At the end of the meeting, Hatter was glad he had let James convince him to take the rest of the night off. He was so excited that he couldn't possibly concentrate; he could hardly stop smiling.

Alice suggested they go listen to a live band playing at one of the local clubs. Hatter had been pestering her to do that very thing since he had learned that it was an option here in her world. He smiled and agreed readily…the grouchy mood both of them had woken up that morning with had completely dissolved. Hatter was dressed for work, so for him it was an easy transition to going out for the evening.

He had chosen dove grey pinstriped trousers, a soft purple shirt (in cotton for once) with diminutive little white and black paisleys, and a black waistcoat. He just had to shake out his hair and brush off his black fedora.

Alice was uber-casual in jeans, converse and a t-shirt. There was no way she was going anywhere with a man as delicious as Hatter without being dressed well. People might get the wrong idea and try to poach him. Hatter watched her sort through the closet, finally deciding on slim fitting white pants, knee high black boots and a jewel toned purple crushed velvet top. Its cap sleeves and wide neckline showed off her pretty collarbones, toned arms and upper chest, and the empire waist made the most of her …assets.

"Beautiful…as always," he said with a smile and a decided heat behind his eyes.

She stalked towards him and traced her hand down his chest, captured his mouth for a steaming kiss.

"Not so bad yourself, handsome," she replied with a wry twist of her lips.

He gave her a slow smoldering smile, "we could stay in…"

Alice laughed, "After all your nagging to go hear a _real live band_?" She groused.

"Alice…given a choice between you and …well…pretty much anything…you win," he murmured.

She made a noise of amusement, "Good to know."

She kissed him again, letting her tongue trace over his perfect lips. It was tempting…too tempting. She kissed up the line of his jaw to his ear, took his earlobe between her teeth.

"Later," she promised.

He groaned and leaned his head back, "Killing me love…you are such a tease."

* * *

Hatter watched the band, completely transfixed. She should have felt ignored because of how intently he was watching the band, but he never seemed to forget she was there. He held on to Alice throughout the night, his leg pressed to hers, his arm around her shoulders or holding her hand between his. He kept laughing and grinning at her like she had just given him an early Christmas present. He explained between sets that he had never seen an actual band play. For someone that loved music like Hatter did, this was an incredible experience.

During the slow songs he swept her out to the dance floor. When she was in his arms he had eyes for nothing but Alice. He laughed softly as they maneuvered around the dance floor. Lighthearted and happy, the hard edge of her Hatter dulled for at least an evening. She was glad of it. He carried too much strain and worry, and she knew in the morning that it would return. For now, they could just enjoy this moment in time where they were together and in love and happy and they had a bright future ahead of them.

No one tried to spoil it for them this time. Hatter and Alice both got looks aplenty, but it seemed like people had more respect for the rings on their fingers than they did for a couple that was just out for the evening to have a good time. It was fun and perfect and the evening flew by quicker than they wanted it to. When the band packed up they went to The Diner for coffee and a bite to eat.

Alice had made them turkey sandwiches before they left for the evening, but that was hours ago. Hatter had a super fast metabolism, and Alice had yet to figure out if it was due to him being a Wonderlander, or if it was just the way he was made. She knew he would be famished. She ordered biscuits to come out right away; and coffees for them both, extra cream and sugar for Hatter. His deep brown eyes danced as he stared at her from the other side of the table.

"That was lovely, Alice. Thank you," he said sincerely.

"I had a great time, too. Thank _you,_" she laughed.

He tucked into the biscuits with gusto, and then devoured a whole plate of hash browns, sausage and eggs enthusiastically. They chatted over their meal; Hatter sticking to light topics to try to keep the evening happy and carefree. He had deliberately put the thought of Alice leaving town out of his head. He didn't want to think about it, not tonight. Not when the miracle that was Alice had just ensured that they had the means to make a future with each other.

"Alice…when are you going to let me take you shopping?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Are you ever going to let it go?"

"When you give in," he answered, smirking.

"I think I do fine," she countered.

"You do…but still. I want to," he appealed.

She sighed, but grinned in spite of herself, "Sometimes you are so _weird_. Okay. Next time you can come along and _help._"

Alice was rewarded with one of his delighted full out broad dimpled grins.

"Good. And I expect to help pick out your wedding dress," he stipulated.

"That is definitely a violation of tradition," she argued.

"Oh honestly, Alice?" he countered incredulously.

She couldn't help but to laugh, "Okay! I give in!"

They hadn't done anything normally in their relationship…not one thing. Why start now?

TBC

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A/N: Sooo? What did you think? Please review and tell me? Feed the muse? Happy muse=more writing.

**As tough going as this chapter was, I was able to set some very necessary bits of the story in motion for later and I think it came out quite good (I hope?)…I hope you enjoyed the read. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: First off, thank you for reviewing! Thanks thanks thanks! You taking a minute to say you liked this makes it worthwhile to put in the effort to write it. (and frankly, I don't care how belated the review is…I love them still)**

**Hold on folks…we're goin' under. *grins***

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**Chapter 5**

Alice had her books spread out across the kitchen table. She was attempting to read her assignment prior to her class that afternoon while trying to ignore Hatter. She had half a mind to tell the man to put a shirt on…at least while she was trying to study. Oblivious of the distraction he was causing Alice, Hatter ran his long fingers across the spines of the textbooks she had filled the top shelf of their bookshelf with, reading the titles and attempting to determine if any of them could give him useful information about running his tea shop. As much as he knew about managing a successful business, Alice's world and the rules that bound it were still confusing to him at times.

_'Small Business Growth and Development' _looked promising, as did a few other titles. He pulled them from the shelf and sat next to Alice at the table. She looked at the books he pulled and smirked.

"Trying to go back to sleep?" she asked.

"No," he answered with mock defensiveness.

"Just do your studying and never mind me," he countered, flipping his hand at her books dismissively.

He opened the first one, perused the index, and then opened to chapter three and begun to read. His fingers traced down the page in a vertical line, the pages turning as he reached the bottom of each page. Alice tried to go back to her studying, but he was distracting. She wondered how much he was absorbing, and if he was actually reading or just scanning the page for key words. She would have thought that it was the latter, but he never paused to read anything more in depth, just continued tracing the page before turning it.

As he became absorbed in the text; Alice continued to watch out of the corner of her eye. An amused snort escaped him occasionally, or a scoff, and the occasional nod or shake of his head. He closed the cover with a sigh and smiled at her.

"I don't envy you, love. That is some horrifically dry reading," he chuckled.

"Did you actually read that, or were you just scanning through?" she asked curiously as he opened up another book in the small stack of her old textbooks.

He paused and looked up at her with a roguish smile, his dimple flashing and eyes twinkling, "I read it, although quickly. I don't read for pleasure that quickly... and that was not exactly a fun read," he explained.

"Huh," Alice exclaimed, and then turned back to her own books. "Read anything useful?" she asked after a few more moments had passed.

"Hnnn. Well, in an abstract sort of way, I suppose so," he shrugged.

She smiled wryly, "Yeah, that's about right."

Alice had actually managed to digest a complete page or two before Hatter spoke up again.

"You have studied this rubbish for how long?" he asked.

Alice snorted derisively, "Almost four years."

He sighed dramatically and shook his head at her, "That is just _beastly_, Alice."

She shrugged dismissively and tried to get back to her homework.

He leaned over and kissed her thoroughly, sending her papers flying and losing her place in her book, "I thought you might need comforting," he grinned mischeviously.

She did manage to get through the couple of chapters she had to read for class… Hatter got through four of her textbooks. She closed her books with a snap and scrounged for some lunch before Hatter had to go to work. She was going to go in with him for a little while, and then leave from the tea shop to go to school. She was trying to get a good grasp on how things operated, and Hatter had been trying to teach her about tea. Besides…she liked spending time with him. Even when they were spending the time sweeping up and locking down the shop for the night, she enjoyed his company. For his part, Hatter never left her with any doubt that he wanted her near him.

Hatter planned to have Erica's shift overlap with his and James' in the beginning. After she had got her bearings, he would start letting her cover early afternoons by herself. With someone else in the shop, he would have time for all the little things he needed to do without taking the attention away from the customers. He knew that the brand of service they received at his shop was what kept business flowing in, and he didn't want to sacrifice it. Erica was so bubbly and friendly that Hatter believed she would prove to be just as popular as he was with the customers.

When Erica showed up at one o'clock with her schedules in hand, Hatter knew that this was going to work well for them both. Alice hadn't left to go to her class yet, so she was able to cover the register and the tables so he and Erica could figure out the details without disruption. Erica's schedule was erratic, and he could see why she might have a difficult time getting an employer to take her on. Despite that, she was available in the early afternoons…no more early mornings for him once she was prepared to be on her own. Alice nodded her approval, eavesdropping on their conversation casually.

He would see how it worked out with Erica, and then maybe he would find someone to cover the late evenings. He'd overlap the two shifts and still be there for the busiest part of the day. James could manage the mornings, and he'd take the day and early evening. Perfect. He didn't know if he would be able to find someone quite like Erica for an evening shift…she was a one-off for sure.

Case in point, she had shown up wearing a broad brimmed dove gray ladies fedora. He cocked an eyebrow questioningly at her curious choice in headgear. Hats were not terribly common in Alice's world, even for men. He had seen very few women wearing them. She smiled broadly and giggled at his questioning expression.

"I wanted to make sure I was in the correct uniform," she stated quite sincerely, but her eyes twinkled with barely suppressed mirth.

Hatter realized that James usually wore a hat as well… he had never really thought about it, other than to complement him on it when he admired one of them.

Alice snorted, and then began to giggle.

Hatter blinked once, and then he got it. It struck Hatter as funny, and once he started laughing he couldn't stop. Erica's wide eyed innocent expression and Alice's laughter just set him off further. He dissolved into helpless giggles, holding onto the bar for support. He shook his head ruefully as he got himself under control, but he smiled still.

"I like it," He said, once he could speak.

"Me too," Alice agreed, her lips twitching.

Alice gave Hatter a peck on the cheek to say goodbye, hugged Erica briefly and wished her luck and then went to her class.

Erica was bright, that was for certain… and Hatter couldn't fault her enthusiasm… but she knew _nothing_ about tea. Alice was beginning to learn the basics and learning more every day, but even she had known more than Erica initially. Still, Erica learned fast, and charmed the customers, and she had been a waitress so that helped a great deal. Hatter was feeling good about Alice's idea to hire her, and feeling pretty good about his life in general, so it was no wonder that something had to spoil it.

It came in the form of a phone call. Immigration Services had determined that they were unable to validate his birth certificate or to find any legitimate record of his birth in the U.S. Nausea hit him hard and below the belt. It was the worst possible news…he had been issued a 'Notice to Appear'; he should be receiving it in the mail soon. He would have to appear before an immigration judge and plead his case. The details of his alleged offense would be included in the letter, along with notice of his right to appeal his deportation. He was also advised that a warrant for arrest would be issued if he failed to appear.

The person on the telephone mentioned that he had a few appeal options, and the judge could decide to cancel the deportation, adjust his status, or grant asylum. He tried to pay attention to the words, to the information…but his heart was pounding so hard that he could barely hear. He managed to acknowledge the information and click off his mobile…his deft fingers fumbling for once. Erica was talking to him, but he couldn't hear her...not over the screaming in his brain.

"Watch the front for a moment?" he asked her, his voice much calmer than he felt.

She nodded he acceptance, but he was out the back door before he saw her response.

He had done some research on deportation, ever since the problem had come up initially. It wasn't as simple as getting married to avoid it; that alone wouldn't keep him here. They would need a lawyer. He knew Alice would suggest going back to Wonderland…but that was an absolute last ditch effort. If Jack had forgiven him, his records would be cleared by now. Jack had deliberately left his documentation half done; that much he was certain of. He had a sneaking suspicion he would never make it back to Alice's world if he left it…and there was no way he would _ever_ put Alice in that much danger. It was not an option. Besides, the glass had been closed. He couldn't get through if he wanted to.

He took some time to compose himself, drawing on long years of experience hiding away fear and anger and uncertainty behind a charming mask. It served him well, now. He had a business to run, and he couldn't fall apart despite how he felt. He had Alice, and he knew that whatever happened, she would never leave him. That final thought served to calm him, to help him find his center again. He took in a deep breath and breathed it back out. He and Alice would get it sorted tonight, after work.

Alice's class was dry and boring, but she was cheered by the fact that she only had one more class this week. Three classes this semester was a much lighter course load than she was used to, but she was enjoying having the time available to spend with Hatter. Besides, he really did need help at the tea shop. The forms and legalese and documentation required just to hire Erica had floored him. He had been as bewildered as she had ever seen him by the prospect of wading through it on his own. She was glad to be of legitimate use to him as a business partner. She said she would take care of it, and by his delighted reaction she would have thought she had just baked him a cake and jumped out of it wearing only frosting and a smile.

Alice realized that she had been daydreaming about Hatter again, and she had missed the assignment for the week. She sighed. She _really_ had to stop doing that.

Her mother called her as she was leaving class; she had something important she wanted to discuss with her. Alice had a little bit of time before she had to teach, so she agreed to come by her mom's place and talk. She hoped it wasn't anything bad, and she really hoped it had nothing to do with Hatter this time. She knew Hatter would be expecting her, so she called him to let him know she was going to see her mom before she stopped in. He sounded strange to her, strained and tight, but he didn't want to discuss why over the phone.

Carol had a hug and a smile for Alice, and Alice relaxed slightly. If anything, her mother seemed nervous and anxious rather than worried or angry. Her mother was ordinarily candid and straightforward…almost painfully so. After a few moments of small talk, Alice begun to lose patience. Her mother didn't normally tap dance around _anything._

"What is it? Why did you need to talk to me so badly?" Alice asked finally.

"Well…you packed up all of your father's things. You said it was time to move on," Carol begun.

Alice nodded, "It was time."

"Well… I think it is time for me, too," Carol continued.

Alice's brow furrowed, "What do you mean?"

Carol sighed, "I got asked on a date…and I said yes."

Alice opened and shut her mouth, stunned. Of all the things she had imagined her mother wanted to talk to her about, this was not one of them…and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it. Her father was dead, and her mother deserved some happiness in her life, but the little girl inside of her screamed betrayal.

"Alice? Do you understand?" Carol asked.

That, she could answer, "Yes. I understand why…I just…need to get used to the idea, I think."

Carol had hoped for better than that, but she had expected worse. Alice was hardheaded and stubborn, and she knew the best thing to do now was to let her think about it, and hopefully she would come to accept the fact that Carol was tired of being alone. Seeing her daughter fall head over heels in love had spurred her on to realize that she was letting her life pass her by. Her daughter was grown, and she couldn't live through her any longer.

"Mom…I need to go. I'll call you, okay?" Alice promised.

Carol hugged her goodbye, and Alice walked back to the tea shop in a daze.

Erica had already left, and Hatter was bogged down with customers between the café and the retail side of the house. He was also juggling the back room formal tea area at the same time, and although to anyone else he would have looked calm and collected, to Alice's eyes he was severely frazzled. She pitched in and helped to take care of the retail side of things while he got caught up in the other areas. He threw her a grateful glance and blew her a kiss. She smiled and worked steadily until it was time for her to go to the dojo. She had barely had a moment to even say hello to Hatter. She supposed her Mama drama could wait until after work.

Alice called Hatter when she was on her way home, as she always did. He watched for her as she came down the block, satisfied that she had made it home okay. She pointed upstairs and he nodded in understanding. She was going to shower and change and come back down to help him lock up.

He focused on locking up, sparing a tight smile for Alice when she came down to help. When she asked what was wrong, he simply shook his head and said 'later.' Alice knew better than to try to get anything out of him until he was ready to speak…besides which, she wanted to go home and relax before they got into any deep conversations. Still, she was getting more and more worried as she watched a very quiet Hatter fumble with the register, and recount the drawer no less than five times.

She looked up, startled at his short cry of frustration as he started in on counting for the sixth time. Now she was very worried. She took the drawer out of his hands and handed him the broom.

"I've got it," she said softly.

He nodded curtly and finished sweeping. When they were done and locked up, they retreated to the safety of their little flat upstairs. As soon as they crossed the threshold, Hatter swept her into his arms and held her tightly. Alice held him back and stroked her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck soothingly. She waited for him to get what he needed before she tried to ask him what was wrong. He sighed against her and broke away finally.

"We need some tea first," he said, heading into the kitchen.

Bemused, she followed him in. He sat out two cups, and dished out his _Calm_ blend for both of them.

"What is it?" Alice asked.

He held up his hand for patience, but shot her a pleading glance to accompany it. He was pacing back and forth through the kitchen as he waited for the tea… twitchy and uncomfortable. The tea was poured and they sat across from each other at their small table; Hatter took a sip and closed his eyes… reaching for something to steady him. Alice reached across the table and grabbed his hand.

"Tell me," she demanded, her voice frightened.

He nodded and chewed his lip for a moment, "I got a call from Immigration. I should be receiving a 'Notice to Appear' in the post for my deportation hearing," he said quietly.

"Oh. Oh, no. Look, we'll just move the wedding up, like I said," she soothed.

"No, Alice. It doesn't work that way. I did some looking into it and that'll not be enough to keep me here. We had been married at least two years already for that to work," he admitted.

Alice jumped up and began to sort through the mail they had received that day. She had snagged it on her way up, but hadn't bothered to actually look at it. Sure enough, there was a letter from Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Hatter came up behind her as she ripped it open, reading over her shoulder.

It seemed as if he was being accused of counterfeiting his birth record. Damn.

"We need a lawyer," Alice said numbly.

"Yeah," Hatter agreed softly.

She turned in his arms and buried her head in his neck. He held her tightly to him and sighed.

"I can't lose you…" Alice said against the warmth of his neck.

"You won't, love. We'll think of a way," he reassured her.

He hoped he wasn't lying.

**TBC**

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**A/N: So folks…what do ya think? Please let me know…reviews are love. Besides, like I said…I have an insatiable muse. And hungry muses find it hard to write….**

**Oh, and if you go to my profile I put a link to Erica's hat down with the picture links. (I'm wearing it, but she didn't mind loaning it to me.)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so this one took way longer than it should have… sorry! I was wrapped up in my M-rated Primeval missing reel and it wasn't cooperating. Muse was being obstinate (she wasn't that well fed... I'll blame it on that).**

**Anyway, apologies aside, I'll be quicker next time. And thank you so much for your reviews! They do inspire…**

**Hope you like this… okay. Shutting up. I'll let you read. **

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Chapter Six

Neither one of them was able to sleep well that night, despite the fact that they spent the better part of the evening seeking comfort in each other. After _that_ they should have slept like babies. At three a.m. Hatter rolled over yet again and Alice let loose a soft scream of frustration. He sat up and sighed, passed a hand over his face and shot a wry smile to Alice in the semi-dark.

"You too, eh?" he said.

"Yes! And I have a class to teach in the morning!" Alice fumed.

"Hmm… hungry? We had no dinner. I could make us a pudding… perhaps a crumble," he asked.

"Seriously? It's three in the morning," she asked incredulously.

"Fancy bread pudding instead? More like breakfast," he bantered.

Alice had to laugh. She hadn't pulled an all-nighter in years, but she certainly wasn't going to be able to get any sleep anytime soon. She might as well let Hatter's culinary skills go to work for her. And frankly, bread pudding was among her favorite things. His food was always flavorful and delicious, but she had noticed that it tended to run towards what she would call 'budget' food. She had the feeling that even in his 'good life' as a smuggler that he hadn't had as much as Dodo thought he did. Even bread pudding had its roots in using up stale bread…and food didn't get much cheaper than bread.

She sat on the kitchen counter; her legs dangling off of the edge, watching him assemble the 'pudding' as he called it. She had tried to put the threat of Hatter's deportation out of her mind, but until she spoke with the lawyer she couldn't relax. She had been amused that Hatter had decked Jack initially, but in the face of all the trouble that it had caused she was finding it much less funny these days. _She_ kind of wanted to punch Jack. That, coupled with her mother's revelation, was enough to ensure that she wasn't able to relax into sleep. She was almost embarrassed by how much her mother's love life was bothering her, despite having much more serious concerns to worry about.

"Mom called…she wanted to talk to me," Alice said suddenly.

Hatter kept slicing the bread into pieces, but looked over at her curiously, "So…?"

"Well I went over there. She was acting all nervous and weird," she continued.

"Okay…so what was it about?" he asked.

"So… my mom told me she was going to start dating again," Alice related.

Hatter paused and turned to look at her, face set in concerned lines, "Are you alright with that?" he asked carefully.

She sighed and chewed her lip, "I don't know," she admitted.

Hatter thought carefully before he spoke. This subject was a sensitive one for Alice, but he could not help but to empathize with Carol. Ten years was a long time to carry a torch for someone that you believed had up and left you. He couldn't imagine how he would feel if Alice just disappeared one day (well, he guessed he _did_, after all...), but he knew both Carol and Alice had been under the impression that Robert Hamilton had left voluntarily. Alice knew better, now… but Carol would always wonder about it. It didn't sit well with him. He hated the lies… wished he could be done with them completely.

"She deserves to find someone," he said finally.

Alice gave a sad smile, "I know that, but…"

He waited, his eyebrow raised challengingly. She needed to face this, and he had never been able to let her stick her head in the sand.

"Well?" he asked.

Alice thought about it. She tried to form the uncomfortable feelings into some type of coherent form of expression, but she was failing miserably. She shrugged finally and met Hatter's serious gaze.

"It just feels_…_weird," she settled on.

He nodded, waiting for her to continue. Hatter had a way of making her look at herself honestly, he always had. She couldn't look into his dark eyes and lie to herself… she just couldn't.

"I'm being selfish," she admitted.

Hatter just watched her, waiting for her to finish. She liked that about him…that he didn't back off and tell her things she wanted to hear…usually, that is. Right now? Not so much. She shied away from his gaze, but was drawn back by the intensity of his stare. Hatter suffered no bullshit, even from her... especially from her.

"Alright! I don't like it at all; it feels like she is betraying my dad! I also know that it is stupid of me to feel that way, and that I should be happy for her…and I'm not. I'm not at all," she seethed.

Hatter wiped his hands off and came to stand in front on her, wedged himself between her dangling legs, "What do you want to do about it?" he asked softly.

She shrugged, "Tell her that I understand, I suppose. Tell her that it's okay."

"Good," he nodded, "You don't have to like it, you know."

"I know that," Alice sighed.

His dimple flashed in his cheek as he gave a brief amused smile,"Now you can disapprove of _her _relationships." He chuckled.

She smiled at that and nodded, "True…that should be fun."

He grinned at her lighthearted response. Mission accomplished.

"Thank-you," she said softly.

He kissed her nose, then her lips, "Of course, love."

He turned back to assembling his bread pudding, confident that at least he had managed to ameliorate one of Alice's problems. There wasn't much he could do about the other, not yet.

Doing something with his hands was helping to calm him somewhat. Blending tea, cooking, hat tricks…all served the same purpose for him. Occupy the hands to let his mind work through his problems. He didn't know that he was going to be able to come up with a solution on this one; until they met with the lawyer they were at an impasse. Still, his mind kept twisting and turning the information, looking for angles and options. Old habits died hard.

He and Alice had sat at the computer that evening reading all they could find about immigration and deportation. They definitely needed a lawyer, and a sympathetic judge. He hoped that his run in with the gang that had terrorized his neighborhood would help rather than hinder the process. There were a number of outcomes to the hearing, and if he was to be deported he still had the chance to appeal. The best case scenario was that they could marry, and just be observed for a period of two years to ensure that their marriage was legitimate. Worst case…jail time and he'd get deported… or deported and _then_ jail time.

Tomorrow… er… this morning they would call the lawyer and set up an appointment and that would be even more money out of their pockets. He was tempted to skip the karate class with Alice, but he knew she would be disappointed, and he usually enjoyed them too. After her karate class, Alice had a college class and Hatter had to work…specifically, training Erica. It would be a long day for them both, made longer by the inability to get any sleep. Hatter hoped that after they had gorged themselves on bread pudding that they would be able to at least catch a few hours sleep.

Alice took a bite of the oven warm bread pudding and closed her eyes. She couldn't help the moan that escaped her.

"So good," she mumbled as she shoveled in another bite.

Delighted, he dug into his. He had a talent for this… in another life he might have been a baker.

The heavy carbohydrate load did the trick, and by the time the sun broke the horizon they were asleep.

* * *

Alice slapped the snooze function on the alarm clock three times before she groaned and fell out of bed. Hatter didn't even twitch. She sleepily ran a hand through his thick dark mop of hair and kissed his forehead before she stumbled out to the main room. She _had _to teach her class today. The tournament was Saturday and she had several students competing. She needed to work on sparring with them, and get them used to taking direction from a coach. In a way, it was much tougher to coach the beginner levels even though the pace was much slower than a black belt match.

She needed more practice also, she hadn't been putting as much attention on martial arts as she used to. Hatter usually joined her Thursday class, and although she thought the exercise would help clear his mind, she thought he needed sleep more. He mentioned hiring someone to work the night shift, but first they needed to make enough to pay the employees they already had. Granted, it was only James and Erica, but Hatter took it seriously nonetheless. She decided to let Hatter sleep in, there would be other classes.

* * *

Hatter woke to an empty flat and a later morning than he had anticipated. Apparently Alice had taken pity on him and let him sleep in and skip her class. He thought the bread pudding had something to do with it.

As much as he appreciated being able to sleep later, it was truly strange to wake up to an empty flat again. It was amazing how he could go from jealously guarding his privacy to feeling a little bit lost because his Alice left before he woke up, he reflected. He had to laugh at himself, but in truth he was uneasy until he found the note she left him (although it was only one) on top of his tea cup. She said she thought he could use the sleep, and she would make him work twice as hard on Monday to make up for it. He smiled and ran his fingertips over the indentations left on the paper from her bold penmanship; his Alice did have a mean streak. He had no doubt that she meant what she said.

He knew that leaving notes was not a natural thing for her to do, nor was ringing him when she was on her way home. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself and she was not used to anyone fussing over her safety like he did. He couldn't keep himself from worrying about her; she wakened all of his primal and protective instincts. He knew she accepted it out of love for him…and it warmed him through.

Alice had admitted (once) that she didn't mind it so much, really. She had explained that for some reason she didn't seem to rouse any protective urges in _anyone_, and it was _sometimes_ nice to have someone want to protect her. He found it hard to believe, as tiny as she was. She had related a story about being out for a date with a boyfriend (he didn't much like that part of the story), and she had to fight off some other bloke's advances the whole evening because her date wouldn't tell him to back off. She said it went deeper than that…she was usually treated as 'one of the guys'. He found that even harder to believe.

He had a theory, and Alice had been amused by it if she wasn't sold on the validity of it. Hatter proposed that the reason no one seemed to feel the need to protect her was the air of competence and strength she gave off. He had heard several of her students remark that she was intimidating. He also believed her inherent standoffishness (which he knew to be shyness) was usually misread as haughtiness and arrogance. Alice had never found it easy to make friends, and although she spoke with confidence and put up a good front, she was painfully shy. He supposed that's why Erica was such a good mate; she disregarded her shyness as irrelevant.

* * *

Erica reported to work that day in a black canvas fedora with a lively blue argyle band. Hatter had to smile as she sashayed in and preened, obviously proud of her choice in headgear.

"Ya gonna wear a hat every day?" he asked, deadpan.

"No. Not on my days off," she replied with a smirk.

Hatter chuckled and waved her behind the counter. It felt good to laugh, and he hadn't felt much like laughing lately.

Erica did well, despite it being only her second day of working in the tea shop. Hatter was able to blend his tea special for the day in record time, now that he wasn't interrupted as much. He opened up the formal tea room in back for a couple of hours, and he was able to give the people the attention they deserved now that he wasn't split three different ways. He flirted and charmed and was also able to spend some time with the books in the back office. He was pleasantly surprised by the amount of profit they were taking in. The tea shop was making quite the turn around. With another month or two of profits like these, he would be able to well and truly relax… about the tea shop anyway.

Everything else was a different story. He knew he was distracted and off his usual game, although the customers didn't seem to mind…or even notice. He supposed he had gotten good enough at pulling on his mask that it didn't slip much, even though it would no longer cost him his life if it did. Erica _had _regarded him a bit strangely, but he figured it was due to him repeating himself when he had lost track of the conversation they were having in the middle of a sentence.

He had given her his charming grin and apologized, stating that he hadn't gotten much sleep and he was feeling a bit out of sorts. Erica had patted his arm comfortingly and told him she could get more training tomorrow; today she'd stick with the register and tables and send the questions his way.

Alice stopped in after she taught her class and before she had to go to her college class. She brought down sandwiches for them both, and Erica had enough time left on her shift that they were able to go to the back office (Hatter's office, now) and sit and eat together. Hatter tore into his lunch while Alice thought about how to bring up the unpleasant subject of her conversation with the lawyer. She waited until he finished eating and had leaned back in his chair to broach the subject.

"I talked to Jonas, the lawyer," she began.

Hatter's face re-arranged into serious lines, his attention fully focused on Alice. He nodded to indicate he was listening and she should go on.

"Well, he will represent you, and he is giving us a cheap rate," she continued.

His brow furrowed, she didn't look happy about the news, "But?" he prompted.

"Oh as far as the case is concerned, but 'nothing.' He'll meet with us on Tuesday at one," she replied nonchalantly.

He blinked and shook his head at her, confused, "Alright, so what is the problem here?"

She sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.

"My mom's date? It's with _Jonas_!" she hissed.

"Ah. He took care of your aunt's estate, yeah?" he asked.

Alice made a noise of agreement, "And more than that it seems."

Her body language screamed 'defensive' and 'angry.' Arms crossed, toe tapping, and her mouth set in a scowling moue. Hatter bit the inside of his lip to keep from smiling. He thought she was adorable, but Alice would _not_ appreciate him telling her that.

"And do you not think that Jonas is better than someone you don't know?" he asked.

Alice breathed out in a huff and shot him an irritated glance, "It's weird."

He smirked, "You said that about me too, love," he reminded her.

Alice had to smile, "Yeah. And I stand by it."

"Ah, now you have hurt me feelings," he countered with mock offense.

Alice's lips quirked in a brief smile. She stood, and then straddled Hatter's chair and sat in his lap. He groaned as she pressed herself close, "Well then, I will just have to kiss it better," she purred into his ear.

"Wicked, wicked Alice…this is not fair," he murmured.

She licked along the shell of his ear as she dug her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. He pulled back enough to crush his mouth to hers to kiss her long and hard. Alice began to think she had bitten off more than she had intended…she had only meant to tease. Hatter's arms were holding her tightly, and he was kissing her like he was afraid she would disappear… she shouldn't have teased him. Not now, not with what they were faced with.

He was like this sometimes; even after all they had been through. She couldn't help but to respond to him, kissing him back with all of the love and reassurance she could. She gasped out his name as he broke away to place heated kisses down the line of her neck and throat. He was pushing her shirt up to allow him access to more of her, and it was delicious and sexy and _Hatter_ but she had to say _something_…

"Hatter…we can't, not here!" she panted.

He growled against her skin, "My office…my shop…who's to stop us?" he replied in between the wet kisses he was trailing down her chest.

"Erica…" she began.

"Has a half hour left on her shift…" he interrupted.

His hands were on her, caressing and grasping and his mouth teased and tormented and before long Alice couldn't even think to argue. Hatter needed her, needed this, and she would give it to him. Besides, Hatter was a remarkably talented and attentive lover…she hardly needed an excuse. It was urgent, frenzied and frantic…faster than usual, but afterwards Alice admitted it had been just what she needed. She would certainly sleep well tonight.

She kissed the ring of teeth marks she had left on his shoulder apologetically, and went in search of her panties. Hatter snickered as she pulled them off of his lamp and out from under his hat. She hoped they had managed a little bit of discretion, and thankfully the office was in the very back of the shop. She smoothed her hair and straightened Hatter's waistcoat.

"Hmm…I fancy that sort of lunch more often," he joked.

She slapped him on the ass, "Back to work…I have to get to class."

He laughed…"The Business Law one?"

She nodded miserably.

"Ah, sorry love. Try not to fall asleep, yeah?" he sympathized.

"No thanks to you!" she teased.

Hatter just gave her a very male and very smug grin. She rolled her eyes and gave him a chaste kiss goodbye, promising to come down to help him close up at the end of the evening.

Alice _did_ have trouble staying awake in class, but she managed it. Hatter was considerably more relaxed for the remainder of the evening, and his mood had improved dramatically. He decided that until they knew where they stood with the deportation issue, it would just be making himself miserable to worry about it. They would meet with the lawyer, they would come up with a plan and no matter what…he would still have Alice. He believed that if he was stronger, he would give her up rather than to uproot her whole life, but he was long past the point where that was an option for him. He couldn't live without her, plain and simple. Besides… Alice would have his head on a plate for even suggesting such a thing.

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**A/N: Soooo Did you like it? Hate it? Please review if you did (or didn't). I have to say this is a tough part of the story…there are plot bunnies, but I have to shove them in at the right times…and then we have to __****get there. ****So help me along, yeah? Review to help feed that poor muse.**

**Also...Alice always let Hatter step in front of her (LOTS of times) and even Charlie (at first). I wanted to look at that more and dissect it in this chapter.**

**A A/N: There IS a Missing Reel for this chapter...titled 'Just Desserts.' Lemony and smutty, so if you like that sort o' thing... Take out the spaces and go to www. fanfiction. net/s/5973741/1 /Just_Desserts_A_Forever_Missing_Reel OR you could clicky my name to go to my profile and get it from there.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I hope you enjoy! And reviewers…thank you for continuing to review and feed my poor starving muse. She writes more and faster when well fed… *hint* Seriously…they mean a lot. (really..it's kind of sad how much)**

**Oh! And for those that are interested in this sort of thing… last chapter has a Missing Reel titled 'Just Desserts.' And I finally published the Missing Reel for chapter 19 of 'Always' (their first time.) Man, was that ever tough writing, to go back to how they felt back then. They have come so far. I called it '**_**Finally**_**.' *chuckles***

**Okay…shutting it.**

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Chapter 7

"Let me take you shopping," Hatter requested.

"What?" Alice replied, a bit confused by the sudden request.

Hatter wasn't much for conversation before he got his morning tea in him, and he had barely taken a sip. She was lucky if she got a mumbled 'morning' out of him, most days. He sat across from her, sleep rumpled and gorgeous as usual, a small hopeful smile on his face.

"Where did this come from?" Alice asked.

The smile slid from his face to be replaced by something more solemn. He looked down at the table briefly and took another sip of tea. "I'd like to do something fun with you…after all the…" he shrugged helplessly as he trailed off.

She reached across the table and took his hand in hers, "It's a good idea, but we don't have a lot of extra money… and I want to put some back for my wedding dress."

He grinned crookedly as she mentioned her wedding dress.

"We'll use me tip money. And I have started a savings for our wedding," he countered.

"You realize you _still_ have not told me what sort of wedding you fancy?" he challenged with a raised eyebrow.

Alice laughed and rolled her eyes, but he _was_ serious, she could tell. She smiled softly at him, warmth spreading through her.

"The sort of wedding I want?" she questioned.

He nodded seriously.

"One where you are standing next to me. Nothing else is important," she replied, her face warming with the admission.

He smiled and kissed the ring on her finger, "Well, love…that much I can promise."

"Well hurry up and drink your tea… we don't have an awful lot of time before you have to be at work," she acquiesced.

He shot her a blindingly bright dimpled grin, his chocolate colored eyes lighting up in joy, "Brilliant!" he exclaimed as he downed his tea.

They managed to get out of the flat in a relatively quick amount of time… very quick for Hatter. Alice was sure he could move faster if he had to, but the man certainly could take his time getting ready to go. Of course, she would much rather have to wait on him any day over someone who pulled on a football jersey and sweats and called themselves dressed. She loved his quirky style… it was uniquely Hatter and it suited him. She honestly didn't know anyone else that could pull it off.

Although she truly loved his sense of style, she loved it on _him._ She had to admit she was pretty worried that he was going to attempt to dress her the same way. Alice had a definite style of her own, and she usually thought that she did a very good job of putting herself together. She had no idea why the idea of shopping for her held such fascination for Hatter, but it would make him happy. He was right, they had more than their share of troubled times and worry…it would be good to do something fun. She would play along for him, but she was going to draw the line at paisleys.

* * *

Hatter blinked in amazement as he took in the size of the giant department store. Alice knew they only had a few hours before he had to go to work so she figured a single freestanding store was their best bet…she still hadn't got up her nerve enough to take him inside a shopping mall. He knew about them, he'd asked about them, and he had tried vainly for Alice to take him to one, but so far she had managed to avoid it. He grinned at her and laughed.

"This is just bloody brilliant, Alice. Look at all this!" he said, sweeping his arms out in awe of the multiple floors of merchandise.

Alice ignored the strange looks that the other customers gave him. Not everyone grew up around a city like this; they shouldn't think it so odd. Besides…Alice found his childlike amazement adorable. Especially because Hatter was seldom moved to react like that; he usually either took new things in stride or with a touch of jaded amusement. When he displayed chagrin about his reaction, she had just kissed his cheek and told him she was glad he liked it.

When Alice had taken him shopping, she had always stuck to smaller specialty stores, and he had been impressed with the size of those. _Macy's_ dwarfed those with its multiple floors and overabundance of goods; the brightly lit department store was something completely alien to Hatter. He was still shocked by the sheer variety of items that could be bought and sold in Alice's world, but it was one of the things he loved most about her world.

Back in Wonderland, if you were not royalty you had to make do with what you could find. Hatter was more skilled than most at making such acquisitions (rare teas and rarer goods bought many things), but all of the tea in the world couldn't purchase what wasn't for sale. Alice had nodded sagely when he told her this and had mentioned something about bread lines in Russia. She said he should read about it; he was likely to find many parallels between that land and his. He planned to, but he didn't think it would make him appreciate what he had any more than he already did.

For the first time in his life, every article of clothing he owned fit him properly. It still brought a smile to his face every time he got dressed. He had managed to amass quite a wardrobe in Wonderland, but the fit of most of his clothing had left something to be desired. He turned to look at Alice once he had gotten over his initial awe and tried to wipe the inane grin from his face. She most likely thought him quite ridiculous when he got so excited over what was unremarkable in her world, despite her reassurances to the contrary.

"Alright, now you said you need something for business meetings, yeah? And how about we look for something pretty, just for fun," Hatter begun, trying to rein in his excitement and tend to the business at hand.

Alice smiled skeptically, "You are going to help find me a suit?"

Hatter pulled an affronted face and sighed dramatically, "I thought you said you trusted me?"

Alice shook her head at his theatrics, although a smile slipped out.

"Fine!" she cried, with equal parts exasperation and amusement, "I am in your hands. Go! Find me clothes!" she said as she waved him towards the women's petites.

Alice trailed along behind him, watching as he cast a critical eye over the racks of garments. He held up a pencil skirt in charcoal grey and then turned to look her from top to bottom with his discerning eye, his brow furrowed in concentration. She didn't bother to stop him as he draped a few items of clothing over his arm for her to try on. She would try on whatever he wanted; nothing seemed _too_ much of a stretch so far. She wondered if he was even pulling the right size for her, but when she asked him he had just rolled his eyes and shot her a cocky smirk.

She told him that there was a garment limit on the dressing room when it looked like he was getting a little bit carried away. He looked down at the armful of clothes and nodded. He said they had enough to 'get started.' With much trepidation and a little thrill of excitement (although she wouldn't admit it) she entered the dressing room with the stack of skirts, blouses and jackets.

She checked the sizes and sure enough, he had picked the correct size. She shouldn't be surprised by it. If anyone knew her body well enough to guess her size by just looking… it would be him.

"Try on the grey skirt with the raspberry satin blouse and the lil' jacket," he called out through the door.

She rolled her eyes, but did as he asked.

The snug fitting charcoal grey pencil skirt fit her like a glove and gave her curves she didn't know she had; so far she was impressed. She slipped on the raspberry satin blouse hesitantly, she wasn't so sure about the little scarf tie around the neck, but she had to admit it softened the fitted bodice and lent an even more feminine air to the tailored skirt. She tucked the blouse into the high-waisted skirt and whistled at herself in the mirror appreciatively. She topped it with the short charcoal grey jacket and had to take back everything she had said about Hatter taking her shopping. She was _never_ going shopping without him again if she could help it.

"Let me see…you are taking ages!" Hatter complained through the door.

She opened the door for him and smiled sheepishly. This time when he looked her up and down, she had the feeling that clothes were the last thing on his mind. He gave her that slow heated smile that she loved so much, but it grew into a delighted grin although the heat lingered behind his eyes.

"I knew that would be the one. Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes. I admit it, you have good taste… I'll need shoes for it though," she mused.

If possible, Hatter's grin grew even brighter.

She tried on a few more variations on business attire, and ended up settling on Hatter's first pick along with a deep navy pantsuit and startlingly white silk shirt that set off her clear skin, dark hair and made her eyes positively glow. It seemed he also had an eye for footwear, although she had to veto a couple of those choices. She had no complaint with the style; they were beautiful shoes… but not practical to wear. She drew the line at anything over a three inch heel and would not be moved. He let it go when she had whispered in his ear that she would be happy to wear them for him at home.

Hatter insisted on finding her a dress for 'fun.' He said that she didn't have much in the way of going out clothes, and he was right. She had about exhausted her collection on the few dates that they had been on. She was a practical girl, and although she enjoyed dressing up and going out, the reality was that she didn't do it very often. It seemed a waste to spend money on things she would hardly use. She was still feeling guilty about the dresses she had purchased for their dates… although the look on Hatter's face had been worth it.

She let him talk her into trying on a purple, black, white, dove grey and magenta paisley printed dress. Despite her admission that Hatter knew what looked good on her, she wasn't sure about this one. After all, she had promised herself to just say no to paisley.

"Ah, come on, love. Just try it, yeah? If you don't fancy it when it is on, then we'll not buy it," he wheedled.

"Okay! By the way…the salesman over there is checking you out…" she replied with a sly smile.

"He must have good taste then," he called through the door, laughter in his voice.

Alice knew that Hatter was unusual, but she gained a new appreciation for just _how _unusual by the strange looks the sales staff and other customers gave them…Hatter in particular. First off, he was dressed in usual Hatter style. For their shopping outing, he had chosen even more unusual clothing than his typical day to day wear for the tea shop. He wore black velvet jeans paired with a slim fitting deep brown-red button down shirt, a black and maroon pinstriped waistcoat, his black half-boots and his black fedora.

She remembered when he had bought the shirt. She'd always wondered what on earth he would find to wear with it. The color wasn't so unusual, but the pattern was. She would be at a loss to describe it, other than to say it was variegated with a black cloudy design… almost a tie die, but not quite. This was one of the few shirts he had that fit him close to his body…and it was close indeed. The pinstriped waistcoat shouldn't have worked with it, but it did. He had topped it off with a black leather coat, but Alice had advised him to leave it in the car. They were doing serious shopping, and it could get warm.

Even when Hatter put little effort into his appearance, he looked delicious. When he actually _tried_ to look good…he was breathtaking in the truest sense of the word. No wonder that he drew looks wherever they went.

Secondly, he had been the one dragging _her_ from sales rack to sales rack… all the while animatedly talking about pattern, cut, fit and color. And then the fact that he _wasn't gay_ truly threw them for a loop. Hatter took the salesman's flirting (and the subsequent phone number request) in stride; it wasn't as if he cared a whit about anyone else's sexual orientation. Alice was glad of that; she had dumped one of her boyfriends when she had out he was a homophobe. Alice had no tolerance for ignorance. Hatter had just politely and charmingly declined, and said he was already quite taken as he pointed out their matching rings. Alice noticed that he never bothered to correct people when they assumed she was his wife.

Hatter would argue that it was Alice that drew people's attention wherever they went. She was beautiful in a completely unique and unpretentious way. He still caught his breath every time he saw her, his heart stuttering in his chest. She had laughed and smiled with him all morning, and he was glad that he was able to distract them both for at least a little while. He was pleased that he was able to make his serious little Alice laugh with him, he loved her laughter. He waited for her to come out of the dressing room, smirking at the thought that he had gotten Alice to try on paisley. Purple paisley.

Alice sighed as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. It suited her beautifully, sleeveless and scoop necked, with shirred detailing at the bodice of the empire waist. She especially liked the contrasting deep purple scroll pattern trim around the waist and the hem of the skirt; it served to draw attention to her tiny waist and down to her strong slim legs. It fit her as if it was made for her, and the colors suited her perfectly. She brushed her hands over the soft silk.

"Love, come out…or I'm coming in," Hatter joked.

At least, she hoped he was joking. She opened the door and smiled at him.

"Oh, Alice… it looks… you look beautiful," he smiled.

She had walked out of the department store with two new outfits, two new pair of high heels, a dress, and a very pleased and self-satisfied Hatter.

* * *

Erica and James were chatting companionably when Hatter and Alice breezed through the front door a few minutes before his shift began. Alice greeted them both, and then took her leave to go upstairs and get ready for work. She planned to teach her class, shower, bring down food for Hatter, and then spend the remainder of the evening studying in the tea shop. Now that they had gotten it set up with Wi-Fi, they often had people lingering to read or study. Of course, none of them had their own table designated for them as Alice did.

Hatter was glad to see that James and Erica got on so well together, especially because Erica would begin spending half her shift with James next week. James had readily agreed to step into more of a managerial role; and as a bonus he said that since his shifts were so short nowadays, and since they would require very little actual manual labor, he would be happy to fill in whenever Hatter needed a little extra time off during the week.

Hatter truly didn't know what he would do without James… probably work himself to death. Alice's tournament was Saturday and Hatter wanted to watch for more than a couple of hours. Hatter had to be at the shop to serve the Saturday cream tea, but James readily agreed to cover the remainder of the morning and early afternoon until the tournament ended. Hatter would miss little of the actual tournament.

Today Erica wore a white cloche hat with a navy band. Hatter admired it, and told her she had remarkable taste. Erica grinned and acknowledged her hat superiority…hers was much nicer than James' tweed trilby or Hatter's black fedora. Hatter countered that a cloche was a woman's hat, and not comparable in the least. Erica declared he had hat envy, and refused to budge on her stance of superiority. Hatter decided he would wear his porkpie tomorrow, nothing could trump that.

Erica had seen him pouring over his books yesterday, and she wondered why he used such an archaic method to track his profits. He had a computer in his office, but she had yet to see him sit at it. She could easily write a simple program for him; and she loved numbers…maybe he would let her manage the books? She had her undergrad in accounting first, before she had switched to computer sciences. Someday she wanted to go back and take the last couple of classes so she could have a second Bachelor's. She made the offer to Hatter, but he politely declined. He said he had a handle on it for now, but he would think about her offer.

Erica's bubbly personality and her tendency to kid around usually served to disguise her remarkably sharp mind, but she _was_ undeniably bright. When Hatter asked her if she had learned anything from James, Erica began spouting off all she had just learned about black tea...verbatim. She had a fantastic memory. The rest of the time Erica was on shift seemed to pass more quickly than normal, but once again Hatter was thrilled with how much he was able to accomplish while she was there. He had appreciated her offer to handle the books for the tea shop, but as much as he liked Erica, he wasn't ready to extend his trust that far. Betimes wealth, or the promise of it, did bad things to good people. He didn't want to endanger one of Alice's precious few friendships.

Alice came in after her class, and she watched the store briefly while he ate the container of leftovers she had brought down for him. She settled in to study, knowing that Hatter would bring her a cup of the special and a smile as soon as he was able to. She didn't have long to wait. He placed a cup of steaming tea in front of her and nodded at it with raised eyebrows and a satisfied expression before heading back behind the counter.

She inhaled it and then took a sip. _This_ one was certainly different. Light-bodied with almost no tannins…green and white teas maybe? It was uplifting and strangely hopeful… lemongrass and mint… no… multiple mints, she amended.

She smiled and lifted any eyebrow, silently asking him the name. He grinned, dimple flashing, and pointed to the chalkboard that listed the specials of the day. Written in his flowing sharp script was '_Fortunate Alice_,' and directly below, a note to wish her good fortune at the tournament tomorrow. She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed and pleased and flattered… but mostly embarrassed. Hatter's eyes twinkled mischievously and she couldn't think to do a thing but shake her head at him, resigned in the fact that her fiancé was incorrigible.

* * *

They relaxed together with their tea that evening, talking about their day. Hatter begun their question and answer game; it was his turn to go first. They agreed to keep it short because it would be a busy day tomorrow and they both needed their sleep, but Hatter did have one question he was determined to get out of Alice.

"What sort of wedding do you fancy, love?" he asked, for the second time in one day.

He _was_ incorrigible. Alice thought about it and shrugged.

"I know that girls are supposed to dream about things like that…but I never really thought about it, to be honest," she admitted.

"Oh," He answered, a touch disappointed.

Bemused, he shrugged, "Well, what about now?"

"Why is this topic such a thing for you?" she asked curiously, "And yes, that counts as my question," she hurried to add.

He sighed as pink begun to show on his cheeks, "Wait…are you _blushing?_" Alice ribbed.

Hatter closed his eyes and shook his head. No help for it, he might as well answer. It was her question, after all, "I wanted… I wantedtodoeverythingyouwanted," he blurted.

"What?" asked Alice.

"I wanted to give you your little girl fantasy, if I could. I should have known you wouldn't have one; that makes it a little more difficult," he admitted.

"Oh," Alice replied, taken aback.

He shrugged and gave her a depreciating grin, "Silly, yeah?"

She shook her head.

"Not at all," she answered softly, moved by his admission.

"How about we decide it together? That would mean more than anything. It's _our_ wedding, and I want you to have as much say in it as I do," Alice offered.

Hatter nodded. A slow smile spread across his face. She was right; it was _their _wedding. It seemed right that they would make the decisions about it together.

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A/N: Well fluffity fluff fluff. Figured we needed a little bit of joy. Hatter has been dying to play dress up with Alice…

So yes, he doesn't altogether trust Erica that far. She's not Alice, after all... and he has been burned before.

_**and**_** we even got a little more Hatter back story. **

**The plot bunnies are multiplying rapidly…I'm excited. I sure hope you enjoyed the read…**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Okay, so this one is a departure (necessary), I know. Hope you like it. Reviewers…I love you! Thank you for continuing to motivate me to write.**

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Chapter 8

Alice smiled in exasperation and amusement as Hatter worked to put together a good breakfast for her. It was a common expression she reserved especially for her Hatter; he was possibly the most stubborn man she had ever met. He said she needed a 'proper breakfast' because she was going to need her energy for the tournament. Alice had informed him that she usually didn't eat much at all before her tournaments; she liked to have a mostly empty stomach.

He had glared at her and shook his head as if she was a five year old saying she wouldn't eat her vegetables, and then went to work making her an egg, ham and cheese sandwich all the while grumbling under his breath about how she didn't take care of herself. She let him have this round; it was too early to argue. Besides… she thought it was sweet how he always tried to take care of her (although _that_ little tidbit of information she would keep to herself.)

She watched him move around expertly in the kitchen, pausing occasionally to sip his tea. His dark hair stood up at all angles, although he had run damp hands through it in an attempt to tame it somewhat. He did that every morning as part of his routine… toilet, brush teeth, water on face, wet hands through his hair to try to tame it somewhat and then may or may not put on something over his boxers. This morning was an unfortunate 'may.' He had pulled on a pair of black track pants and one of the tight-fitting thin white t-shirts he sometimes wore as an undershirt… a pretty picture, nonetheless.

He sat her plate in front of her with a challenging look, daring her to argue. She smirked and picked up her sandwich and took a large bite. Satisfied, he put together his own breakfast and sat across from her at their little kitchen table. She told him a little bit about the tournament, explaining that he was likely to be bored for a great deal of the time he was there. He simply shrugged and said he'd bring a book or two. She looked at him thoughtfully and smiled as something occurred to her.

"You know… we should have signed _you_ up to compete," Alice declared.

Hatter gave a short bark of laughter and shook his head, "No. It is bad enough I embarrass myself at _our_ dojo. I'll not do it anywhere else," he disagreed.

"Hatter, you would go against other white belts… and trust me, you would do fine. I think you should try it," she argued.

"I can't, love. I've got to serve the cream tea today," he countered, glad for a legitimate excuse to say no.

"I think next time, then," she relented.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice raising an octave.

Alice smiled wide in victory. She would love to see Hatter compete, and she thought he would enjoy it too if she forced him into experiencing it.

Hatter was too busy thinking how he would get out of it to acknowledge her gloating.

* * *

Hatter wasn't sure exactly what he expected when Alice told him about the tournament, but it wasn't this. His first impression was that it was _loud;_ the university gymnasium was packed full of gi-clad people ranging in age from five on up to one old man that looked to be one hundred and five. There were dozens of variations in colors of uniforms, but they were all the same standard type that Alice wore. Every belt level was in attendance, and although the bleachers had people sitting on them, the competitors far outnumbered the audience.

Alice made her way through the crowd confidently, and Hatter tried vainly to push down the urge to glower at anyone that came too close. Alice didn't seem to be bothered in the least by it. She reached blindly behind her for his hand, and he took it obediently. She pulled him along behind her as she spied her team members assembling on the far side of the room. She greeted the group enthusiastically, and Hatter nodded genially at the people he knew from class.

Erica bounced over, hugged and kissed Alice and then turned her attention to Hatter. She complemented his hat and acknowledged her own hat envy (he had worn his straw porkpie, so _of course_ he gave her hat envy), and then gave him a warm hug _and _a kiss on the cheek before bounding away to check on the registrations, leaving Hatter in her wake still blinking in astonishment. Erica looked back, blew a kiss to Alice and grinned at the look on Hatter's face. Alice laughed out loud at his stunned reaction to the 'Erica tornado.'

Alice sympathized. The first time she had been treated to one of Erica's affectionate greetings she had been flustered as well. Alice was not a touchy person… she didn't often give girly hugs of greeting, and she still didn't… unless it was Erica. Erica didn't really leave you much choice in the matter. If anyone else had kissed Hatter, she would have ripped their lips off and fed them to her… but it was Erica. She just shook her head in amusement and squeezed Hatter's hand in reassurance. He gave her an awkward half-smile and a shrug. He was out of his element here, and she knew it, but he was doing well to cover his unease. She knew he did it for her, and she was thankful.

Erica had talked at length with Alice about how grateful she was to both her and Hatter for giving her a job, and how much she truly liked Hatter. Erica was friendly and bubbly and got along with everyone, but she didn't call everyone her friend. She had not liked Jack much, Alice mused. She had told Alice that she offered to do the books for the tea shop, and Hatter declined. Erica had been a little bit hurt until Alice explained that Hatter's previous experiences had left him a little bit wary. She had told Erica that she shouldn't take it personally, and that she was willing to bet Hatter would take her up on the offer once he knew her a little bit longer.

After Erica's drive-by greeting, Alex reached out to shake Hatter's hand. The man had nursed a bit of a crush on Alice, and initially he had not liked Hatter one bit. After a sparring session between the two of them, Alex had determined that he was much better off ceding the victory (of Alice and the match) to Hatter. Hatter was glad that the man had shaken off his initial dislike of him, and found that he quite liked Alex once he was no longer posturing and trying to steal his Alice.

Alex always went out of his way to speak to Hatter and ask him how things were going with adjusting to life in the U.S. and how things were going with him and Alice, and he had enthusiastically congratulated them both when Alice had announced their betrothal. Hatter still found it difficult to get used to the fact that people could want to interact without expecting anything in return besides friendship, but he was beginning to. Dennis, Erica's husband, happily greeted him with a staggering clap on the back and a smile. He had never had any sort of friends before; he wasn't quite sure how to react.

Alice pulled on her take-charge persona and begun organizing her students. She turned to Hatter and told him to sit down on the riser. He smirked at her tone…the same voice she'd used on her students. She shot him an apologetic look and he shrugged one shoulder and sat. She was busy, he was content to just watch and learn. He loved watching her when she was like this; he thought it was terribly sexy.

He got as comfy as he could on the hard bench, glad that he had accepted Alice's suggestion to dress for comfort as opposed to style. He would have to change before he served the cream tea; it wouldn't do to wear jeans and t-shirt. His customers expected more effort than that, especially at the prices they paid for a 'genuine English experience.' He privately found it hilarious; after all, he'd never even _been_ to England. As much as Wonderland and the UK had in common, he had to think there must be a reason for it. He had his theories; he was curious to see what Alice thought about them.

The gym was unbearably warm and loud, and the bench was hard and there were far too many people, but Hatter was undeniably fascinated by the activities going on around him. Alice had told him that this was a major competition, but he had not anticipated quite this flurry of activity. On multiple mats, matches were taking place between all ages and classes of fighters. On other mats, single competitors were going through a series of movements that Alice had told him were called 'forms' or alternatively, 'katas.' The activities never paused; there was always something going on somewhere.

He moved around throughout the day, following Alice as she coached her students. When it was her turn to fight, he got as close as possible to watch. He was even more impressed with her skill after seeing her fight such a wide variety of competitors. She had a couple of near bouts, but she continued to win.

He found himself cheering for the dojo's team, although their wins just reinforced the fact that she would be leaving him for a few days to compete nationally. She came to stop and check on him periodically, and he told her not to worry. He was having a good time, wasn't bored in the least, and he would bring her back something to eat when he came back. He regretted that he had to leave, and he debated if he should ask James to cover him for the remainder of the evening so that he could finish out the competition.

When Hatter had asked if her mother ever came to watch her compete, she had laughed. Her mother supported her love of martial arts, but that support didn't extend far enough to include sitting through day (or days) long competitions on hard benches in stinky gyms and auditoriums. It seemed that Alice wasn't used to having anyone come to watch her compete; he was glad he came. He hated to ask for favors…but this was obviously very important to Alice, and he wanted to be here for her. He would ask James to finish out the shift. It was only an additional two to three hours over what James had already agreed to cover; and Hatter figured he would likely agree if he asked him. He caught Alice's eye and made sure she understood he was leaving, and waited for her to make her way over to him.

She pressed a kiss to his lips and bade him goodbye, hoping he would be back soon. He seemed to genuinely enjoy watching the tournament; she just wished he could be there for the whole thing. He would have to finish up the night shift, and he was going to miss the last hour or so of the competition. It was just the awards presentation, and the finals for the forms, but she was a little disappointed nonetheless. It was nice to have somebody besides her team cheering her on.

* * *

Hatter's tea service had gone well; it had proved to be popular among his customers and he had made almost a hundred dollars in tips in a little over an hour and a half. James had readily agreed to just finish out the shift; _he_ had suggested it as soon as he found out Hatter would be missing the awards. Hatter had told him not to bother to clean up; he would just come in Sunday and take care of it. Alice would be thrilled; she had seemed disappointed that he would have to miss the awards presentation.

He caught the subway back to the tournament because in this case it was fastest, thinking that Alice would be proud of him for taking his most hated form of transportation. It was still too enclosed and too crowded for his liking, but he didn't mind it so much when it was only himself he needed to worry about. He knew how to present himself so he'd not appear as a mark. There would always be those that would look at his slight build and think he would be an easy target, but one hard look from his dark eyes was usually enough to convince any would be attackers that he had not only seen death, but had dealt it. Those that didn't recognize danger when they saw it would not pose much of a challenge for him, anyway. He was usually left well alone.

When he finally got back at the university gym, he showed the ticket taker at the door the mark on his wrist and she allowed him entry. He found Dennis before he found Alice, but Dennis quickly led him to where Alice was fighting. She had just finished a bout when he made his way over to her. She jogged over to his side and hugged him.

"Food?" she asked.

"Leftover scone from the shop and a turkey and cheese sandwich?" he offered, presenting her with a brown paper bag.

"Strawberry?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course," he answered with a small grin.

"Ah! I love you," she replied, already tearing into her sandwich.

He gave a huff of amusement, "Ya still winning?"

Alice nodded, "Whole team is doing well."

"James will cover the rest of the night, love. I get to stay for the awards," he disclosed.

Alice smiled brightly, "Great! You know, now we can make dinner with the rest of the team."

"Dinner?" he asked blankly.

"Sort of a tradition. After these big competitions we like to go out to eat as a group," Alice explained.

"Oh. Okay," he accepted.

"We don't have to go, you know. We can just go home," she reassured him.

"No. I'd like to," he countered.

She looked at him doubtfully. He grinned, dimple flashing in his cheek.

"Come on, love. Are you afraid I'll embarrass ya?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes, "No. I'll tell Sensei we are coming along."

* * *

Alice came over to check on him as often as she was able to for the remainder of the tournament, but she stayed fairly busy. Dennis sat with Hatter for a while in between bouts, as did Erica and Alex. It was nice to have someone to point out the intricacies of the competition. He had been able to follow along, after all fighting was fighting, but the points and the scoring made a lot more sense to him now. It took a lot of skill to have the control necessary to only strike in the areas that would gain points. Hatter feared that if _he_ were fighting, he would get multiple fouls and be disqualified fairly quickly. He had a tendency to strike first and think later.

Dennis was just as gregarious and friendly as his wife Erica, but where Erica was sweet and had not a bad thing to say about anyone, Dennis had an overabundance of acerbic wit and biting commentary. Hatter occasionally had a difficult time sussing out his words through his thick Puerto Rican accent, but found himself laughing throughout the evening at Dennis' pointed observations. Specifically at some parents that were getting more carried away than their children by the competition.

Although Dennis certainly didn't pull any punches, his remarks were softened by his easy laugh; he obviously did not take himself too seriously, nor did he mean any harm by his comments. He was large and loud, but Hatter couldn't help but like the man. He could easily see how Erica and Dennis had become a couple; they were well suited to each other. Watching them together, it was plain to see they were deeply in love. Hatter wondered if he and Alice gave off the same impression.

Alice took first in her class, of course. She would not just be coaching at Nationals, she would be competing. Hatter wished he could come with her for about the hundredth time. He cheered for her along with the rest of her team, but to him it was bittersweet. He covered it well, although Alice could always see right through him. No help for it; he would try to go next time.

* * *

Dinner was loud and lively, and although Alice didn't do much talking, she seemed to be enjoying herself just listening to the conversations going on around her and commenting on them to Hatter. Erica talked a mile a minute anyway; you never had to worry about awkward silences with her around. Hatter got a curious look or two for how much food he could put away, but Dennis far outclassed him by sheer volume of food eaten. Of course, Hatter was a third of the size of him, but he was still impressed.

By the time they had made it home, they were both relieved to be away from all the noise and people. As they entered their little home, Alice and Hatter both sighed in relief simultaneously, and then chuckled.

"Good to be home, yeah?" Hatter commented.

"Yes! I love doing these but they are a bit much, sometimes," Alice admitted.

He nodded, "You're not much of a social butterfly, that's for sure."

Alice laughed, "_You_ aren't either. You just fake it better."

"Shhh," He said with a conspiratorial lift of his eyebrows, "Me customers will never forgive me if they figure out it's all an act."

Alice smiled at him over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen to put on the kettle for their evening tea. He trailed along after her, taking a seat at the table as he let her ready their tea.

"Well, considering how much you love to 'act', I don't think that really counts," Alice bantered back.

"Ah, I'm wounded!" he laughed, holding a hand to his chest.

"Pfft. Right. Here. Shut up and drink your tea," Alice jabbed as she set his tea in front of him, but her remark lost much of the bite because it was accompanied by an affectionate smile and a caress on his cheek.

He pulled her into his lap and planted a lingering kiss on her lips, "Mmmm. Missed that," he murmured before going in for another.

They had spent the whole day together for the most part, but they had very little alone time. Alice melted into him; she'd missed him, too.

She broke away with a smile and she kissed the tip of his nose, "What do you say we stay in tomorrow and spend some quality time together?"

Hatter nodded seriously before cracking a smile, "Lovely idea."

Alice hopped up to get her own tea and they retreated to the main room to continue their conversation in a more comfortable setting. Alice and Hatter shucked their footwear and snuggled together on the couch. Alice settled in, and then took off Hatter's hat so she could play with his hair unobstructed. She closed her eyes for a few moments, enjoying the warmth and comfort of being in her own home again, listening to the music play in the background. Hatter had chosen Pink Floyd, and she smiled at his choice. Very calming.

"So…" He begun, jostling her out of her dazed musing.

Alice laughed softly, "My turn. Okay. Give me a second."

"What is your favorite smell?" she asked, delighted she came up with something so quickly.

He chuckled, "Easy one, love. You."

"Me? Probably not right now. I need a shower!" she argued.

"Hmm. Yeah, you do," he groused.

She tapped him on the side of his cheek, "Smart-ass."

"Okay, let me clarify… besides me," she tried again.

He inhaled deeply and thought about it, "Baking bread. It's... comforting. Like home," he admitted.

"Cookies for me," Alice disclosed, "Mom wasn't much of a baker, but she could make slice and bake cookies like nobody else."

Hatter laughed softly, "That is just beastly, eating cookies from a plastic roll."

"Not everyone has their own personal Hatter, you know. Some people have to get by on prepackaged baked goods," she protested.

"Sad world," he commented, "So… my go, eh?"

"Where would you like to get married?" he asked.

At her slightly irritated look, he continued, "I'll answer, too. I just wanted to get the planning rolling along, yeah? One question a night, tops. I promise."

Alice had to laugh. She admitted it was a good way to get the details worked out, and considering that they may have to get married much sooner than anticipated; it was probably a good idea.

"I don't know. I want it to be small. Outdoor weddings are nice but you know what _our_ luck is like," she mused.

She felt him nod against her, "So indoors. Yep. I agree."

She turned to look up at him, "Hatter, honestly we could just go to the courthouse and then do a reception after."

"No. Your mum would have a fit. She already doesn't approve of me. Perhaps here at our tea shop? The back room would work, and there is plenty of room for a small group. Yeah?" he suggested.

She smiled, "You know, I really like that idea. Now that _that_ is settled…"

"Next question. Right. Your go, Alice," he said.

"Tough one coming," she warned.

He nodded, "Alright."

"Would you like to join me for my shower?" she asked seriously.

She shrieked as he lifted her, teacup and all and carried her to the bathroom.

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A/N: Well, what did you think? I sure hope you liked it… More plotty twisty things to come… should be…interesting.

**Please do review? Please?**

**Okay… now back to Connor and Abby and their game of Angsty-land. *grins***


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: A little bit of something for everybody I hope. And HUGE chapter… it ran away. **

**Those that took a spare minute to leave me reviews … thanks so much! I look to them as my benchmark of whether what I write is good enough to make people want to tell me so. Soooo I get all sad and discouraged when no one reviews. On the flip side, I get all sorts of happy when you do :)**

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Chapter 9

Hatter loved Sundays more than any other day of the week. Sundays were leisure and love and quiet calm time with his Alice. Sundays meant lazing in bed as long as they liked and long breakfasts and making love in the morning and possibly through to the afternoon. They used Sundays for household chores and grocery shopping and basically anything they felt like doing, as long as it was together.

Long discussions in bed were also a favorite Sunday activity, shared conversations over tea they brought back to bed with them. Alice would lay against him as he sat propped up against pillows on the headboard, listening to Hatter talk about life or his ideas or just spin stories for her. She loved his lilting voice; she could listen to him talk about anything and she told him so. He had just laughed softly and told her she was in luck… he liked to talk. He related that he had often been accused of talking just to hear himself speak.

This morning they were discussing the similarities between Wonderland and British ideologies. Hatter surmised that at some point in time people from Alice's world had immigrated to Wonderland. He thought that explained why there was very little difference between the two peoples. He proposed that since Wonderland was inherently magical, over time the magic had seeped into the newcomers and changed them subtlety until they became a different type of human.

"Changed them how?" Alice asked.

She had simply been listening to him muse, but she was drawn in by his theory. She loved the way his brain worked, loved the way he twisted and turned pieces of knowledge and tried to make them fit in ways that would never even occur to her. He wasn't just her lover, he was her friend, and that's probably why their relationship had gotten so strong in such a short period of time. They truly enjoyed each other's company above all others.

"Well, me right arm is a good example. These abilities are relatively new in our people; I found the first evidence of it say… two hundred years ago," he related.

Alice made a sound of interest, encouraging him to continue. She reached up to run her hand through his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp.

"And?" she prompted when his pause had gone too long.

"And little things I noticed since being here… like hair color. Some Wonderlandians, especially the royal class, have naturally vibrant colors of hair and eyes… like the Queen, or the duchess…" he explained.

"Or Jack," Alice finished, purely to rile him.

He growled at her playfully, but nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, okay… but what if it was because they interbred with the… um… locals?" Alice proposed.

She expected Hatter to laugh, but he didn't. Instead he considered her question thoughtfully, thinking through the vast amount of histories he had read. His free hand stroked through her hair as he thought; she closed her eyes and smiled at his touch.

"Hnn. It's possible. No one knows much about them. Just that they existed… gave us the basis for much of the technology we still use today. The theory is sound," he agreed with a smile, and punctuated it with a kiss to her temple.

"Well, okay… but how come your people still retain the tie? America was colonized a little over two hundred years ago by England and although we speak the same language, Americans have developed different ways of speech and a unique culture. According to your theory, my people would have gone to Wonderland even earlier than that," she questioned.

Hatter loved that about Alice… how she would turn his ideas inside out and sometimes argue with him just for the sake of arguing. She had admitted once after a particularly impassioned argument that she actually agreed with him; she just liked playing devil's advocate. She kept him on his toes, and their discussions were… fun. Besides, she had a habit of running her hands over his body when they had these conversations, petting him like a cat even when she disagreed… like she was doing now. He leaned his head back into her hand so she could reach more than the nape of his neck.

"Yes, well…the looking glass used to be used quite regularly. I believe it was used primarily as a portal between Wonderland and your England. We have your books, and some of your technologies… stands to reason that constant exposure would help us to retain our roots, so to speak," he reasoned.

Alice smiled and nodded. "So you think with all the exposure to America that there will be changes to Wonderlandian culture?" she asked, curious for his take.

"Not any longer. Glass is shut down… but I think it would have, yeah. Of course, they can set it to be a portal to _any_ country, and they have... not sure why they chose yours this time…" he replied.

Alice shrugged, "They had taken too many, maybe? Had to find new hunting grounds?"

He made a noise of agreement.

"And you think that is also why my people can be marked by that light from the scarabs, and yours can't? Slight modification in the genetic code?" she asked.

"Yep," he replied succinctly.

He was losing interest in the conversation, distracted by her hand tracing circles lower and lower on his stomach. He realized that he hadn't yet kissed her properly today. Earlier didn't count… that wasn't nearly thorough enough. He set his cup aside and bent to kiss her soft lips. She smiled as her hand traced lower still. She opened her mouth and spoke before he was able to make contact, their lips a hairsbreadth apart.

"Well I'd better check you over then… I have to make sure we are compatible," she teased, her voice gone low with desire.

Sundays belonged to Alice and Hatter, an undeniable fact. They both guarded this time together jealously… which was why when they heard someone knocking at the door they ignored it. Besides, they were busy saying a lengthy good morning… Alice saying it by way of interpretive sign language inside Hatter's satin boxers. Hatter groaned for more than one reason as the knocking on the door continued… louder.

"Whoever the hell that is…" Hatter gritted.

Alice stilled her hand and listened, her head tilted curiously.

"Alice? Are you in there, hon?" came her mother's voice loud and clear.

"Cursed," he muttered quietly.

Alice patted his crotch and grinned, "down, boy."

"Mom? Hold on just a minute, okay?" Alice called out.

Alice was just glad that her mother hadn't shown up in the middle of any real serious action. They probably would not have heard her coming to the door, but she certainly would have heard them. Alice hopped out of bed, took a quick sip of the mostly cold tea on the bedside table and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. Hatter groaned and started to get out of bed as well; he was not happy about the intrusion. He was going to have to work very hard at being civil to his future mother-in-law if she were to persist in invading private time with his Alice.

Alice couldn't help but be a little bit concerned; her mother must want something to show up at her door on a Sunday morning. She looked back over her shoulder at Hatter; he had already pulled on a pair of jeans (although he hadn't braved zipping the fly yet) and was rummaging around for a shirt to put on. He settled on a soft grey flannel shirt of _hers_ that he had claimed for himself. She smiled at the thought of it; it was supposed to work the other way. She was supposed to borrow _his_ clothes. At least they had already gotten out of bed once and had their morning tea before she showed up. Hatter was taking the intrusion with remarkable aplomb, but it would likely not have been the case if he hadn't yet had his tea.

Alice made her way to the front door and opened it for her mother and invited her in, instantly understanding that something was very wrong. Carol was a tough, determined woman… the ideal of feminine strength and independence. Alice had modeled herself after her mother more than she would probably like to admit, but Carol was wringing her hands and her gaze kept skittering about nervously… decidedly foreign behavior for her mother.

"Have a seat, Mom. What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"Is Dav... Hatter here?" Carol asked.

As if on cue, Hatter emerged into the main room. He smiled and nodded at Carol with no sign of irritation apparent on his handsome face.

"Morning, Carol" he called as he strode towards the kitchen. "Would you like a cup of tea?" he questioned politely, pausing to wait for an answer.

His eyes flicked to Alice, waiting for her to acknowledge the inside joke between them… his lips twitched in mirth. It drew out a small smile and an exasperated head shake, but Alice was too worried about her mother to give him more than that. He nodded at her slightly, letting her know that he had noticed it too. Hatter didn't miss much. He waited expectantly for Carol's response.

"Yes, I would. That might be nice," Carol accepted.

Hatter nodded, "Straight away. Alice?"

"Me, too," she replied.

Carol made small talk with Alice, something she had never been very good at. Carol preferred the straightforward approach. She was having a difficult time coming to the point of her visit, and the presence of Alice's… fiancé made it more awkward. It was his home, she couldn't just ask him to leave. She hadn't been able to look at him in the same light since Alice had told her a little bit about his past. The scars had made her nervous, although her heart went out to him for the rough life he had led. She still couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something about his past, even though Alice had told her outright that he had spent a large chunk of his life on the streets.

Hatter emerged from the kitchen bearing a plate of his own homemade scones, balanced on three plates for eating off of, plus Carol's tea. He hurried back for Alice's and his own cups and then sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. He had brewed '_Happy Home,'_ sensing that Carol needed a taste of one. She had yet to taste one of his special blends. He hid his nervousness behind a charming smile as she picked up the cup; it was strange how much it mattered to him that she would like it. More to the point, that she liked _him_. His hands twitched. He wanted her acceptance; he told himself that it was because of Alice.

Carol smiled at him awkwardly; she had hugged him and apologized to him and he had accepted, but there was still some tension between them. Carol took a sip; her eyes closed briefly and she exhaled deeply in a sigh. She had to admit that Hatter's talent for creating tea blends was unique and incredible. Alice had waxed poetic about how talented he was, but Carol had doubted that it was based in fact. She attributed it to Alice's exaggeration of her fiancé's good qualities, and the likely minimizing of his bad ones. She had done much the same with Robert when describing him to her own mother. As warmth and calm and happy memories of love and comfort surrounded her, she no longer had any doubt. Alice had not exaggerated about _this_ at any rate.

"Hatter… this is special. You're very gifted," Carol asserted.

Hatter gave a pleased smile; he hoped it had smoothed the waters between them a little farther. "Thank you," he said simply.

"You should have a scone, Mom," Alice said in between bites, "Hatter made them."

Carol ate her scone and visited with both Alice and Hatter while they drank their tea. Hatter gushed about Alice's performance in the tournament; much to Alice's chagrin… all waving arms and excitement thickened accent and smiles. Still, he was an excellent storyteller, and her mother was her mother… she loved to hear about Alice. It seemed as if Hatter and her mother did have one thing in common, a deep and abiding love of Alice. By the time he had finished his enthusiastic retelling, Carol and Hatter were back on more comfortable footing with one another once again.

With some of the strain between them dissolved, Carol felt much better about asking him to let her speak privately with Alice. Hatter had nodded and readily accepted it, pausing only to pull a couple of Alice's textbooks off of their bookshelf to take with him into the bedroom. He understood that some things were not meant for his ears. He would retreat gracefully and let Carol discuss what she had to with Alice… even though she was on _his_ time.

"Alright, Mom. Tell me what has you showing up at my doorstep," Alice requested, her words softened by her gentle tone.

"I went out with Jonas, on our date," Carol began.

Alice did _not_ want to hear about her date. She was having a hard enough time accepting the fact that her mother was going to be dating without hearing juicy details. She didn't want to be a bad daughter, but she just wasn't ready. She started to stop her from telling her, but couldn't find it within her to tell her to stop. Her mother had always listened to her… it was time she returned the favor.

"How did it go?" she asked reluctantly as she tried to school her expression to hide her distaste.

"Good, at first. It was nice… He took me to the theatre and then to dinner. I haven't had so much fun in a long time," Carol related with a weak smile.

"I felt like a woman again… I know you probably don't want to hear this but since your father left us I have lost that part of me," Carol expounded.

Guilt welled up in Alice. She _was_ being selfish. Alice had found such happiness with Hatter, and didn't her mother deserve the same? Her mother had sacrificed so much of her life already to make sure Alice had a good life. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair… and Alice had always tried to stand up for what was right and fair. She had learned _that_ from her mother. She would be happy for her mom, and she would shut up and smile and learn to deal with her own issues with it. They were _her_ issues, not her mother's.

"I'm glad, Mom. Really," Alice said with a smile.

Carol shook her head, "Don't be. I'm not going out with him again," Carol admitted.

"Why not? What happened?" Alice asked, confused.

Alice could not believe she was upset at her mother's admission, but she was. She didn't understand what the problem could be… Jonas was a very nice man. He had always treated Carol with the utmost respect, and she couldn't imagine that he would act any differently when he took her mother out on a date.

"No," Carol answered, a little embarrassed.

"Mom?" Alice demanded.

"I can't… your father… I didn't feel right about it. What if he…" Carol trailed off, not wanting to offer up any more of her thoughts.

Alice sighed, "So it's Daddy that is the problem…still? After all these years?"

Carol nodded; a tear ran from her eye, unchecked.

"Oh, _Mom_… I'm sorry," Alice leaned over and hugged her mother to her, providing her with what comfort she could.

Carol's shoulders shook as she cried; Alice didn't remember the last time her mother had broken down like this. She was always so strong, so poised. She never seemed bothered by her father's disappearance when Alice made mention of it; she hadn't for years. Alice had assumed that Carol had made her peace with it. She had always said she didn't have time to date… she wasn't interested. Carol had kept her loneliness hidden from Alice all these years.

"I still keep thinking he will come back someday. It's stupid, I know. It's why I couldn't find it in my heart to discourage you from looking for him… I truly hoped you would find him," Carol disclosed.

Alice took a deep breath; she had an idea. She thought furiously, trying to figure out the best way to say what she had to. Another deep breath to steel her nerves and she dove in headfirst.

"I did. I found out what happened to him," Alice said.

"Wh…What?" Carol stuttered.

"It is a really, really long story, and it sounds crazy. Just…listen first, okay?" Alice began nervously.

Carol was staring at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Jack wasn't from here," Alice said, trying to figure out how to relate the story without getting committed to a mental hospital.

"I know, he was British. But what does that have to do with your father?" her mother replied, confused.

"No, he isn't. And just listen… I meant like 'not from this plane of existence.' He is from another world, and I followed him there. When I disappeared for an hour and ended up in the hospital? It was no hour… it was days," Alice explained.

Carol was looking at her with a strange mixture of horror and fear. She clearly didn't believe her… maybe even thought Alice was crazy. Alice thought hard, tried to come up with some way to _prove_ it. She was at a loss… When she had first returned from Wonderland she believed she might have dreamed it all. She hadn't even kept Hatter's coat to remind her; she'd had no proof. She had been terrified she had dreamed Hatter, half convinced that she was losing her mind. That is, until he showed up at her door. _Hatter! _She thought. He was her proof.

"Hatter!" she called out.

He came into the room quickly. She would bet he had likely heard most of the conversation; he had remarkably acute hearing. It was about impossible to sneak up on him.

"Do ya' need me?" he asked.

She didn't have to ask him if it was alright to tell her mother about him. She knew how he felt about it already. She turned to face her mother again, noting her pale face. She had to get this out quickly; her mother was about at the end of her tether.

"Hatter and I met there. He's not from here either," Alice stated softly.

"You are trying to tell me your boyfriend is an… _alien?_" she cried.

"Fiancé," Hatter corrected, "And, sort of. I'm not from your world, at any rate," he admitted as he crossed the room to stand next to Alice.

If anything, this just upset her mother even more. She thought she had two crazy people on her hands.

"No wonder he has problems with immigration," her mother noted acidly.

"That's why I was so glad to see him. I thought I had dreamed him… or that he was real and I had let him go without telling him how I felt," Alice explained, ignoring the immigration remark.

Hatter grinned at this admission from Alice. She didn't talk about her feelings much, not like that. Not outside the private quiet times between them.

"She assured me that snogging the living daylights out of me was not a typical greeting here," he joked, trying to lighten the mood and failing miserably.

"Hatter…" Alice admonished.

"Sorry," he conceded.

Alice looked to him for help and shrugged helplessly, "Proof?"

Hatter chewed his lip as he thought. He glanced down at his right fist, a recent topic of discussion between them.

He held it up and raised his eyebrows, "How about this? The city hasn't replaced the skip downstairs yet."

Alice narrowed her eyes at him, finally figuring out where the dents in the alley dumpster came from. Hatter shrugged, but had the grace to look abashed.

"You can keep watch while I do it, and I don't think it's something your people can do," Hatter proposed.

"Are you using drugs?" Carol accused.

"No! And will you stop looking at me like that and just listen if we prove it to you?" Alice asked.

Carol just nodded, stunned and bemused at the insane story her daughter and her fiancé were fabricating, and she wondered again what it had to do with Robert. She would have to get Alice help. It must be drugs; Alice _had_ been acting differently since she was released from the hospital.

Hatter and Alice pulled on shoes, Hatter grabbed a hat (of course) and the trio made their way downstairs to the alley below. Hatter showed Carol his right hand, flipping it over so she could see he was indeed only flesh and blood. He picked up a two by four that lay on the ground nearby and swung it hard at the dumpster to illustrate that it was not an easy thing to dent in. Carol and Alice both started at the noise, but it left only the tiniest of dents.

Hatter dropped the piece of wood and looked to Alice. She nodded encouragingly. Hatter concentrated, looked inside of him to tap into the magic that was deep within him, as much a part of him as his skin. A small demonstration wouldn't do in this case. Alice could break boards with her fist, after all. He would have to pull from down deep, deeper than he usually had a need to go if he was to give her unequivocal proof of his otherness. It must be enough so that she couldn't just explain it away.

Rage and terror were his fuel, always had been. They were emotions he had an abundance of, and despite the happy turn his life had taken since meeting Alice they were within him still. It had been a long time since he was able to strike without a measure of restraint, but he didn't need to rein it in now. He wouldn't hurt anyone. He felt the rage burning hot, added in his terror of losing Alice for good measure and let his fist fly, not tempered by any level of control.

His fist went through the wall of the dumpster, leaving a gaping hole. It felt good… too good. He slammed his eyes shut and tried to rein in his desire to keep striking out. He pulled his hand from the hole and shook it out, stared at the ground until he was in control of himself again.

Alice stared at the man that had held her so gently this morning, the one that baked her breakfast and took care of her… the man that took ages to get dressed and performed for sick children. Hatter… who had the brightest smile she had ever seen, one that lit up his eyes with the bright goodness in his soul, and she tried to reconcile that image with his expression as he put his fist _through_ a quarter inch of metal. She was glad her mother hadn't had a good view of his face from where she stood.

The use of that fist tapped into a different side of him, one that he hid well. It was the hard-edged, cold, and practical side of him that had no hesitation, no back-up and no mercy. Alice shivered, and then swallowed hard. Hatter met her eyes and then he was her Hatter again… and he was afraid. Afraid of himself maybe, or of how she would see him. It didn't matter. He was _her_ Hatter, _all _of him. She went to him, ignoring her mother staring at him in shock and enfolded him in her arms.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck.

She didn't understand what she had asked of him. She didn't think.

"Shh. Don't be," he reassured her.

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A/N: Alrighty... so? Alice you got lots of 'splaining to do.

**Hmm didn't see **_**that**_** one coming, did ya? Twisty twisty me… and more to come.**

**If you likes this, please do review? Feed thy muse? She is a ravenous beast, and she often refuses to write when she's hungry.**

**This chapter is inspired by the song 'Somebody'- Depeche Mode. If you have never listened to it, you should. And if you have, you should listen again. Trust me.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Holy words, Batman... these chapters keep growing on me. Wow, thanks so much for all of the reviews last chapter :) Happy muse! Thanks! Thanks! Ack, this chapter was much more difficult than it should have been, it was a lot of work so I hope you enjoy.**

**Oh, and speaking of reviewers, I had wished for a FanVid to Bonnie Tyler's 'I Need a Hero' and CatBru came through for me! It is a really well thought out video, and she **_**so**_** talented! The link is on my profile, please check it out.**

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Chapter 10

Carol was stunned, well and truly and in the purest sense of the word. She stared from the hole in the metal dumpster, to the man her daughter was embracing, and back to the dumpster. He had just punched _through _the wall of it… how had he done it? _From another world?_ She thought. Her daughter was trying to tell her that her fiancé was from another world. And what was wrong with him that he held on to Alice like that afterwards?

Hatter disengaged from Alice and cleared his throat, once again in command of himself. A flash of movement at the end of the alley caught his eye, but it was gone so quickly that he wasn't entirely sure he had seen it. He would just have to hope that no one had witnessed it; in his experience, people believed what they expected to see so he wasn't truly concerned. Alice was supposed to keep a look out just in case, but he'd not fault her for it, not when seeing to him was what distracted her. Besides, he had bigger concerns, like the way Carol was reacting to his little demonstration.

Carol was still staring openmouthed after they broke apart. Seeing Carol's response, Hatter was forcibly reminded of the day he had first shown up at Alice's door. Carol had worn a very similar expression after he had braved his first kiss with Alice. _Well, _that _ended up okay, _he thought. He could only hope she was as adaptable as her daughter. One thing was certain, she was not going to appreciate that she had been lied to; he could see that straight away by the way her guarded gaze fell on him.

"Let's go back up to the flat, yeah? We'll sit down and explain everything," Hatter said calmly, as if he was commenting on the weather.

Carol reevaluated her opinion of him yet again. This man was dangerous, and he wanted to marry her daughter. How often had he lied to her while wearing that charming smile? How often had he lied to Alice?

He pasted on his best trustworthy smile and gestured to the door. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously in response, and he tried to hide the ensuing wince. It seemed like every time he took a step forward with her, he took two back. Alice stared from him to her mother, distraught that this might be yet another wedge thrust between the two of them.

"Please, Carol?" he requested softly.

"Mom? Just listen," Alice added.

Carol shook herself mentally and then nodded. She would hear them out, if only to hear what fantastical story they used to explain _this_. She followed them into their home, and declined Hatter's offer of more tea. She just wanted to get this over with… she wondered if there were psychiatrists that made house calls on Sundays, and then she wondered if she would need one for herself. She was having a hard time discounting the five inch hole in the industrial dumpster… she almost believed them already.

Carol took the chair and Alice and Hatter sat on the couch opposite. Without thought, Alice reached out blindly to take Hatter's hand in hers, needing the reassurance. He tangled his fingers with hers, and she calmed a little with his touch.

She took _that_ hand, Carol noticed. The one that had just gone _through_ metal and still looked remarkably unscathed despite of it. Not one scrape, nor drop of blood… it wasn't normal. She _knew_ something was off about him.

Carol stared at his hands; he fought against the urge to hide them. He looked down at Alice's smaller hand intertwined with his; her engagement ring dug into his fingers but he didn't mind it. It was comforting to feel it there, a reminder that she loved him, accepted him, and had agreed to be his wife despite of what her mother thought of him.

Alice began the tale by rather succinctly summing up her arrival in Wonderland, her meeting with Ratty, and then her visit to the tea house. Hatter shifted uncomfortably as she described meeting him, hoping she would leave out a few key details that he found a bit embarrassing in hindsight. She told her mother that he was an undercover agent for the Resistance, and that his job was to smuggle food and necessities to the Resistance while maintaining his cover as a distributer of emotion teas, the drug of choice in his land.

She made him sound noble, and Hatter was even _more_ uncomfortable with that notion. Carol seemed to see through her, and asked him if he had been a drug dealer. Hatter compressed his lips and begun to agree that yes, he had been, but Alice defended him by saying it was more akin to being a bartender since it was distributed by the ruling authority of the land. She explained that he had taken her to see the local arm of the Resistance to get her help. She made no mention of him buying her or for asking for his cut for helping her; after all… this was his future mother-in-law; for that he was eternally grateful.

She detailed how he had stepped in front of Dodo's loaded gun to protect her (and had gotten shot for it), and how he chased Dodo down and tackled him so Alice could get away. Hatter sarcastically related how successful that little ploy had been, explaining that Alice had ended up rescuing _him._ She glossed over the tea shop's destruction and the escape from the Jabberwock fairly quickly (she didn't think the Jaberwock would do much for their credibility), just stating that Hatter had lost his cover with the royals and that the forest was dangerous. She _did_ speak fondly of mad Charlie and the timely aid he had provided them.

She told Carol about chasing after Jack despite Hatter trying to convince her to just get home, and getting herself purposefully captured by the Queen's agents. Hatter's hand spasmed around hers as she told of sneaking away in the middle of the night while Hatter and Charlie slept.

"You scared me half to death with that, I'll have you know," Hatter interjected.

"You are no better, chasing after me," Alice retorted.

He quirked a brow at her challengingly, but let it go.

When she related her discovery of Jack's true identity as prince and his engagement to the Duchess, Carol looked to Hatter dubiously.

"It was a shock to me, too," he agreed.

"So that part of it was true, that he was engaged?" Carol inquired.

Hatter nodded smugly, Alice rolled her eyes, and moved forward to Jack passing her Robert's watch and then Hatter and Charlie breaking her out of the Casino. Hatter explained that the idea of her father being held was enough to make her go charging back to the Casino, but that she had allowed Hatter to contact the Resistance leader on her behalf instead.

Alice explained that the agent that came to take them to the top man in the Resistance ended up being the prince-cum-Resistance fighter Jack. Jack said he could take her to her father and he had a way for them to get home. He had insisted that she must come alone, so she had left Hatter behind _again_ to go with Jack. She said Hatter didn't trust Jack, and had secretly followed her to make sure she was okay. Carol nodded approvingly at Hatter, and he was almost embarrassed by the surge of happiness that followed. He felt vindicated when Carol admitted she hadn't liked Jack much anyway.

Alice related that Jack had sought her out for the sole purpose of using her to get to her father, although he professed that he had come to care for her in the process. Hatter rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the surge of jealousy that the thought of Alice with anyone else still seemed to produce. It was ridiculous, she had chosen _him_ after all, and Hatter was not the jealous type. At Alice's statement about her father, Carol blinked rapidly and if possible, looked even more confused.

"Daddy was taken by the Queen. He didn't leave us. They made him forget about us," Alice disclosed.

Alice took a deep breath and squeezed Hatter's hand for support. He shifted closer to her so that the line of their legs touched; she leaned into his body in response. She explained that the Resistance had managed to capture her father. They hoped that by bringing her to meet him she would bring back his memory and thereby shut down the trade in emotion teas. Alice's face grew sad again as she explained that he hadn't recognized her… and that she and Jack were captured by agents of the Queen.

"Hatter tried to save me; he actually rode in on a horse! By the way… suicidal and _stupid,_" she said, fixing him with an indignant glare.

Hatter shrugged, his lips twisted in a brief wry smile, "Odds were better than they would have been if I waited until they got you to the Casino. It was a decent plan, if it had worked."

"They just took Hatter, too. Gave him to a pair of homicidal maniacs to be tortured," Alice explained.

"And Mad March…" Hatter muttered before waving it off as if it was unimportant.

Carol vividly remembered the burn and knife scars on his body. Had that been where he had gotten them? Trying to rescue her daughter?

"But Alice escaped all on her own," he said proudly.

"Yeah, and I went back to the Casino to find Dad. I would have been caught again, but Hatter managed to get free and showed up just in time," Alice related.

"It was pure luck that I found her, I was cutting through the games room and there she was, held at gunpoint… _again,_" he admitted.

"But he did find me, and we took out the guys with the guns and… well anyway we got the attention of the Queen's people, and then Dad came into the room… and he remembered… he did before..." Alice paused, blinking back tears.

"He took a bullet meant for Alice. He died saving her," Hatter finished for her.

Alice's lip trembled, but she had already mourned her father. She would hold it together.

"Who killed him?" Carol demanded, her voice rising.

"One of the Queen's people. He's dead now," Hatter replied quietly.

"He was going to shoot me, after he killed Dad. Hatter shot him," Alice expounded.

Carol's eyes widened and then narrowed as she fixed Hatter with a piercing stare. Her daughter's fiancé certainly had some interesting history.

Hatter dropped his eyes; he wished Alice would have left that part out of it. He didn't need any help with Carol fearing him or his past. He had seen the look on her face. He tried not to feel ashamed, but he was. He knew he wasn't good enough for her. He lifted his chin and met Carol's eyes again evenly; Alice had chosen him… he would have to be good enough.

"Robert is dead?" Carol asked, her composure beginning to fade.

Carol still wasn't sure if she believed them, but for now she was willing to suspend her disbelief. She thought back to Alice in the hospital, remembered her breakdown. She had been crying about Robert being gone... because she had just seen him die? She hadn't believed she had only been gone an hour, either. Her reaction at seeing David at the door made a lot more sense, as did many of his strange quirks. This would explain the nagging sensation that he had been hiding something… this was a fairly big something.

Hatter watched the emotions play over Carol's face; he was pretty sure she believed them. He heaved a sigh of relief, he honestly was not sure if she would. Alice went to Carol as the tears began to come and threw her arms around her mother; Hatter watched helplessly as the two women comforted each other, feeling awkward and out of place. He shifted on the couch and waited, finally rising and going into the kitchen to put the kettle back on. Alice would call for him if she needed him, but he'd felt like he was intruding on a private moment.

He sat at the kitchen table, sipping his tea and flipping his hat over his knuckles, walking it up his arm, flipping it back to his head and then off again in an attempt to burn off some nervous energy. Carol deserved to know what had happened to her husband, but he hoped he hadn't just destroyed any hope of winning her approval in the process. He settled his hat on his head once again as he heard Alice coming into the kitchen and found a smile for her, although he didn't feel much like smiling. This was difficult on her as well.

Alice poured two cups of tea and nodded her head towards the main room, "Come on."

"Is everything okay? She doesn't think you're a nutter, does she?" Hatter asked cautiously.

"I don't think so. I think she actually believes us. I think your demo had a lot to do with it," Alice remarked.

He gave her a brief smile, "Good."

"You are sure I should go in there?" he asked, unsure of his reception.

"I want you there," Alice said as she traced her fingers down his cheek.

He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, "Okay. For you, love."

She pulled him up to standing and then grabbed the cups; he started to follow Alice back into the main room.

"You know, I think I would rather face another Jabberwock than your mother," he muttered under his breath.

Alice shot him a mock glare, "You're lucky my hands are full."

He smirked but followed her, knowing he'd likely pay for that remark later.

Carol rose as she saw Hatter following Alice back into the room. Alice sat down the tea cups and moved quickly to take a position by his side. Hatter looked as uncomfortable as she'd ever seen him, wilting a little under her mother's hard scrutiny. It would be amusing to see her cocky Hatter so uncertain if it weren't for the circumstances. As it was, it just made her feel awful. She started to take a seat on the couch and pull Hatter down next to her but her mother intercepted, grabbing Hatter's arm. Hatter froze, tension zinging through his body.

"Your name isn't David, is it?" Carol charged.

He glanced with trepidation to Alice and then back to Carol, "It was, once. I've been Hatter for a long time, now," he admitted.

"And you took care of her in this world of yours?" Carol asked.

He nodded, "I _tried_ to, but Alice is…"

Carol shook her head and laughed softly, "I know."

"And you stepped in front of a loaded gun for Alice, and got shot?" she asked

"Well yeah, but I was wearing body armor," he disparaged.

"And if it had been any farther to your right, you would be dead," Alice argued, and held up her finger and thumb spaced about a half-inch apart to show how close it had actually been.

"Alice, I didn't think he would actually _shoot_ me," Hatter countered.

"_You didn't think_ is right! It was still stupid," Alice replied.

Hatter shot her a quelling look; now was not the time.

"And you rescued her from that Casino place?" Carol inquired, continuing her questioning.

"Twice," Alice answered before he was able to.

Embarrassed, he nodded, "But it was Alice that took down the Queen. She saved us all."

"You shot the man that killed my husband?" Carol asked softly.

His jaw tensed, she probably thought he was a murdering bastard. Even without her knowing about March's death (and did that one really count since he was already dead once?) she knew of one death by his hands there, and he'd already killed two men in her world, and the tally was starting to sound less like _hero_ and more like _serial killer_. It already did, to him. Still, he would do it again.

"Yes. He was going to kill Alice," He answered tightly, braced for her response.

"I'm glad you shot him," Carol said fiercely.

Hatter's eyes widened in surprise, he saw where Alice got her viscous streak. He glanced over at Alice, wondering what Carol's ultimate goal was in this line of questioning. Alice just raised a shoulder slightly to let him know that he had as much a clue as she did.

"You left everything behind?" Carol asked softly.

He swallowed… thought of a million different responses. He decided on the purest truth of it, "I love her," he said simply.

Carol stared at him for a few long moments. Hatter squared his shoulders and met her gaze calmly. He was what he was, whether she approved of him or not. He had no intention of ever letting Alice go, not ever.

Carol pulled him to her for a hug, almost knocking him off balance, "Thank you."

He just nodded and tentatively returned the embrace. He contemplated the possible implications of what she could mean by it and settled on simple gratitude. He was afraid to hope it might mean acceptance.

"I'm glad she found you. Thank you for saving my daughter," she continued, a soft sob escaping her.

Unexpected emotion welled up in him, choking him. He had hardly dared allow himself to wish for this. "She saved _me_. I was lost before her… and she saved Wonderland, after all. I'm just glad I could help," Hatter replied after he knew he could speak clearly once again.

Carol stepped back from him and spun an incredulous gaze to Alice, "_Wonderland_? You are telling me this land he is from is _Wonderland_? You went to _Wonderland_? That is a story in a kid's book!"

"You know, that's exactly what Alice said," he remarked.

"Mom, it is real… although the other Alice was there one hundred and fifty years ago," Alice explained.

"And it has changed a lot since then…" Hatter deadpanned, and then directed a sly smile to Alice.

"Hatter!" Alice admonished, but she had to bite her lip to keep from smiling at the memory of their first meeting.

She had been both drawn to him and utterly repelled by him. She looked at him warmly, thinking there was nothing she found repellant about him now. She realized he had caught her staring by the smug look he now wore and flushed at being discovered. She turned back to her mother who was beginning to look somewhat panicked, feeling a little guilty for being distracted.

Carol laughed, but it had a hysterical edge that made Hatter and Alice a little nervous for her. Alice had avoided naming Wonderland just for this reason.

"Alice and The Hatter…" Carol giggled, the hysteria growing stronger.

"Just Hatter… not _that_ one," he corrected.

"Mom… what does the name matter?" Alice challenged.

Carol eventually calmed down again, and after another hour of random questions and explanations she finally left Hatter and Alice alone to try to enjoy the rest of their Sunday together. She seemed somewhat mollified that they had told her as close to the actual truth as they were able to. Alice hoped she had convinced her mother to try to give Jonas another chance. Hatter earned an elbow in the ribs for whispering to Alice that he _really_ hoped they worked it out considering Jonas was his lawyer.

Hatter's plans for the morning had already been blown to smithereens so he suggested that they take care of their grocery shopping since it was still early on, and then they could go by the video shop and pick up a film. He may have missed out on their morning romp, but he would be damned if he let the morning put him off of his plans for the evening. He would have to pop into the tea shop to clean up from Saturday, but that should be fairly quick. He wanted a quiet evening together, especially because she would be gone next weekend for Nationals.

Alice, of course, had a different sort of plan for their evening. She wanted to go out to the movies. She and Hatter seemed to have so little free time, and he had yet to experience a movie on the big screen. She wanted him to experience it for the first time with her… popcorn, overpriced candy, and maybe a little making out during the slow parts. They could even catch a fairly early one so they had plenty of evening left afterwards.

Hatter caved in the face of Alice's excitement. It sounded interesting, at any rate. As long as he was with her, he would be happy enough.

* * *

Later that evening, he and Alice settled into the seats in the theatre, bucket of popcorn nestled between them. Alice lifted the armrest between the seats and then tucked herself under his arm and leaned into him. Hatter chuckled and asked her if she was comfy. Alice reached up and flicked the brim of his navy and grey pinstriped fedora in response.

"Would you like me to give you some space?" she offered insincerely as she pretended to shift away from him.

He shot her a droll look, "Oh, please."

Hatter enjoyed watching the film on the large screen, but Alice was driving him mad the way she kept tracing her fingers along his thigh or over his chest. He was quite sure it was intentional. He noted that many of the couples in the theatre were snuggled together much like he and Alice were, and that in at least one case, he was pretty sure that some weren't watching the movie at all. He decided to get some turnabout, since Alice had seemed to decide that she preferred to keep him in a state of perpetual arousal.

He leaned in and began to place kisses on her neck, her cheek, her ear… soft innocent looking ones that felt anything but innocent to Alice. When he begun to speak in her ear, Alice discovered that she should be more careful of teasing her Hatter… he could turn it around on her in an instant. She shivered as he told her what he had planned for the rest of the evening in deliciously intimate detail.

His breath was hot against her skin, the stubble on his cheek rasping against her neck, and his voice was deep and raspy and she suddenly wanted to be home alone with him. _Now. _He chuckled as she started to get up to leave, and protested that the film was not over.

"Really? You'd like to stay?" she asked.

"It would be a shame to miss the end," he replied casually, although he was unable to mask the rough edge to his voice.

She stood up anyway and glanced around quickly; she noted that no one was looking and smiled wickedly. She could change his mind. She sat on his lap, wound the fingers of one hand deep into his hair, and cupped his jaw with the other as she planted a scorching kiss on his lips. He reacted in half a second, his arms tightening around her, his tongue fighting for dominance. She jumped off of his lap abruptly and grinned down at him.

"Still want to stay?" she asked breathlessly.

"No," he bit out.

He loved his wicked little Alice. They made it home in record time.

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A/N: I know we went through a summary of the movie here, but I wanted to be able to show Carol hearing it, and what exactly she heard from them.

**Hope ya'll liked this… Hatter needed it, anyway. Speaking of Hatter's needs... the M-rated Missing Reel for the end of this chapter is titled 'A Simple Request.' *grins***

**Please do review? It **_**does **_**feed that starving muse of mine. Man, I tell 'ya…those guys will eat you out of house and home. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: For those that are interested, I did do a M-rated 'Missing Reel' for the end of last chapter… titled 'A Simple Request."**

**Thank you so much, those of you that have reviewed (and favorited)! Your appreciation means the world, and it **_**does**_** feed that ever needy muse o' mine. **

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Chapter 11

As much as Hatter loved Sundays, he hated that Monday always followed it. There were certainly parts of Mondays that he liked, and any day with Alice in it was a good day to him. He did enjoy going to class with her to learn the fighting style that was such an important part of her life, although he thought the class was _much_ too early for anyone to be moving about. He was nocturnal by nature, and likely would always be, but for her he would drag himself out of bed. Alice, on the other hand, was typically painfully cheerful and awake at ungodly hours… like eight a.m. Like this morning.

Alice had gone for a run, saying that the tournament had reinforced the fact that she knew she had been slacking in her training. She complained that she'd been out of breath while sparring much sooner than she should have been if she had kept up her conditioning. She had invited him to come along, but Hatter had glanced at the angle of the sun from his warm nest in the blankets and muttered something she probably would smack him for if she had heard it clearly.

He had insisted that she take her phone, although she hated to be encumbered with things in her hands when she ran. He was getting better at hiding his fear that something would happen to her, and he knew if he smothered her independence she would come to resent him, so he swallowed down his protests and kissed her goodbye. He ended up crawling out of bed anyway; it was empty and cold without her in it. He was awake now… he supposed he should try and make himself be productive.

Alice returned from her run flushed and happy, and even happier that she didn't have to bodily evict Hatter from the bed. He was awake and dressed for class, his duffle bag and hers already packed and waiting by the door with their gis, water, a change of undergarments stowed inside. He had even laid out the butter and marmalade along with a slice of bread that just had to be toasted. She looked at the spotless kitchen and furrowed her brow, how long had he been up? She recognized the hallmarks of Hatter burning up nervous energy and smiled ruefully as it clicked; he had been worried about her running by herself.

She couldn't fault him for it; the parks could be dangerous even in daylight hours. Alice was careful to stay in well used areas and to pay attention to her surroundings. She had grown up aware of big city dangers, and she believed that for the most part people were just paranoid. Aside from their brush with the gang, Alice had never really been all that concerned about her safety. She was smart, she knew how to defend herself, and she exercised due caution. She believed that it was enough to keep her out of danger.

Hatter would have an apoplectic fit if she ever admitted how silly she thought his concern for her safety was, but she _did_ think it was sweet. Besides, his world was much more dangerous than hers, and she _had_ gotten into some tight spots there. It only made sense that he felt he needed to worry. She had not failed to see the concern behind his dark eyes as he told her to be careful as she was leaving. She understood what it took for him to kiss her goodbye that morning without voicing complaint, and she _did_ appreciate it even though she felt it was unnecessary.

* * *

Alice said that that one of her students was testing for his next belt today, and she especially wanted Hatter there to see what the process entailed. He was excited by the prospect of earning his yellow belt, and Alice said his testing would begin as soon as she returned from the tournament. She promised that his test would not be as intense as what he would see today; he was at a lower level of training and the testing difficulty would correspond.

Even forewarned, testing was not the process he supposed it might be. Sensei Lim often assisted with classes, and either he or a select few senior instructors always did the belt testing. They worked through the basics, simple beginning kicks and punches and stances, and then basic Judo locks, strikes, and holds. At first Hatter thought it would be easy for the young man that was testing, after all… Hatter was doing alright following along and he was a true beginner.

After the class was concluded, Hatter knew better. He couldn't help feel some trepidation at how he would measure up when it was his turn. He knew people… what drove them, moved them, and motivated their actions. Hatter understood instinctively what the testing process truly accomplished, and now knew that Sensei Lim did as well. He wondered if he could talk his way out of it. With Alice involved… not likely.

The young man that had tested was sweating profusely and shaking, and at one point Hatter had been certain that he was about to cry or quit or both, and yet after class let out he was smiling proudly. Hatter even felt moved to go over to tell him he had done a good job, impressed with his determination and strength of mind. The young man had just smiled his thanks and said he only had three more days of testing to go; the higher the belt, the more days of testing. Hatter would only have one day for yellow belt, and for that he was supremely grateful.

* * *

Showers and lunch went too quickly as always, and then Hatter was off to work and Alice was off to her Monday college class. Erica was a bright spot in the day, reporting for work in a fuchsia beret. She admired his brown tweed trilby and ceded the victory to him for best hat of the day. She was growing ever more confidant with the ins and outs of the tea shop the more she worked and learned about the business. He caught her giving him strange looks throughout the day and she seemed slightly less exuberant than normal, but he attributed it to his declination of her assistance with maintaining the books for the tea shop.

It was truly a shame that Erica would be competing in Nationals as well, he mused. He felt that she would be able to handle being on her own for extended periods of time by the end of the week. She grinned broadly as he told her so, and he was almost bowled over as she hugged him impulsively. Hatter didn't think he'd ever get used to people in Alice's world being so free with their emotions, and Erica was freer than most.

He discussed the testing process with her, curious as to what the lighthearted, bubbly girl would make of such a challenging and sometimes painful process. She had just laughed and blithely stated that her knuckles were so toughened to knuckle pushups that they hardly ever bled anymore. She said her mouth had earned her many of them before she had finally figured out how to shut up and listen. He lifted his eyebrows at her skeptically and she giggled in response.

Once again he thought maybe there was more to Erica than he might have imagined. He liked her, and he wanted to trust her. He _wanted_ to. Perhaps Alice was right, he could be freer here… he could extend his trust a little bit. Maybe he would ask her to computerize his books after Alice and Erica got back from Nationals. He would still do them; but he could probably alleviate much of his workload by using her system. It was a baby step, but it was as much as he was willing to give. To him, it was a lot.

Hatter locked up that evening and walked the short distance to the dojo to watch the last part of Alice's black belt class, and then they walked home together, his arm securely around her. She had been thrilled to hear that he had decided to let Erica organize his books; she thought maybe he was finally beginning to let down his guarded responses to her world.

* * *

The next day, they were both on edge. Hatter was quiet and withdrawn, but Alice knew the reason why so she let him be. Alice tried to stay quiet also. She didn't want to snipe at him, and she almost couldn't help herself when she felt like this. She bit her tongue and silently accepted the breakfast he made for her, even though she wasn't hungry and it tasted like ashes in her mouth. He was letting Erica cover her afternoon shift on her own so they could meet with Jonas at one. Ordinarily the rare chance to sleep in and spend a little extra time alone together would be cause for celebration, but neither one of them felt like celebrating a thing.

Alice tried to study to occupy the morning, but it was no use. She slammed he book shut with a cry of frustration and rested her head in her hands. Hatter came running from the other room, eyes wide at the sound of her distress. Alice narrowed her eyes at him, and he backed up a step, confused.

"I am fine, damn it. What the hell did you think it was?" she grumbled.

Hurt flashed over his face, and she regretted her words instantly.

"Sorry. Just…" she waved her hands in the air, at a loss to describe the unease that filled her.

He strode towards her purposefully and lifted her up from the chair and enfolded her into a tight embrace against him. He held her as if she was going to disappear and she felt even worse about taking out her mood on him. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, let his warmth soothe her and calm her.

"It's okay, Alice. We'll be okay, I promise," he soothed.

She wanted to believe him so badly it hurt, but she was scared. She _hated_ being scared.

* * *

They sat across from Jonas, nervously listening to him list Hatter's options. It seemed he would be best off applying for relief from removal since he had nothing to fight the deportation order with. His birth certificate had been found false, and he didn't even have as much as a credible witness to swear otherwise. Once the judge ordered him to be deported (and Jonas told them to expect it), they had a few other options. Either way, they would need to get married and have Alice file a 'Petition for Alien Relative.'

He could request a cancellation of removal, meaning he would be allowed to stay in country. He would be considered a non-lawful permanent resident and have to prove that he had lived in the US continuously for the last ten years and was of 'good moral character.' Since they would be married, he could also claim hardship would be caused by his removal. They didn't exactly have the records to back that option, so it was irrelevant.

Another option, also to be determined by the judge, would be the possibility of Hatter being granted a 'Conditional Permanent Residency'. He and Alice would need to be married, and after two years he would need to file for a 'Removal of Conditions' to get a permanent Green Card. They would be checked on over a two year period to ensure that their marriage was legitimate, but he would thereafter be considered legal.

Regardless, he would need to convince the judge that he had not faked his birth certificate; he was just unable to prove its validity through a twist of fate. Jonas hoped that both of his parents being deceased would help substantiate that Hatter had never intended to defraud anyone. For all he knew, his parents had the wrong documentation unbeknownst to Hatter.

They left the lawyer's office feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the knowledge he had thrown at them, but Jonas seemed to think that if they had the luck to get a sympathetic judge that it would all work out. Hatter also could appeal for help at the British embassy, but Hatter was afraid that those records would show a problem as well. Hatter had some time remaining before his court date, but the wedding would need to move along quicker than they had anticipated. Once again, they were at an impasse. There was nothing to do but wait. Alice was glad that Jonas was so willing to help... and she had even behaved herself out of gratitude.

* * *

Alice spent most of the evening sunk into one of the comfortable chairs at the tea shop with her textbooks. Hatter was busy, and if he joked and charmed less than usual his customers didn't seem to notice. Alice was glad he had something to keep his mind occupied; she wished she could force hers to do the same. She ended up taking over for him, pushing him towards the back room so he could make the special for tomorrow. He had been trying to blend it as he tended shop, and he hadn't had the best of luck with all the interruptions. Besides, she needed the distraction.

He looked calmer when he emerged from the back room an hour or so later, proffering Alice a cup of his newest tea. She knew blending tea was usually therapeutic for him, and it seemed to have worked. She had anticipated that he would study her reaction to his tea as he usually did; but this time he just set it down in front of her and kissed the top of her head before moving off to check on his other customers.

She frowned and picked up the delicate porcelain cup he always used for her and inhaled curiously; her nose wrinkled in reaction. It was strong, the color a deep oily brown. She took a cautious sip, immediately recognized tannin laden black teas as its base. Bitter and acidic, calling to mind a feeling of restless unease. Tart lime… fear. Grain… toasted brown rice maybe? Family and sharing… shared suffering. Afternote of a smoked green tea, tenuousness and frailty … it was perfect, and sad.

She closed her eyes and sighed. She didn't know how to help him because all that was inside him was inside of her also. She swallowed hard and set her jaw, she wouldn't let this hang over them, and he was damn well going to snap out of it, too. They had a wedding to plan, and a life to live together, and getting weepy about _should_ and _maybes_ and _what if's _was a waste of energy and emotion. They had each other, and they would deal. End of story.

Hatter felt her eyes on him and turned to face her. Her jaw was set in a familiar stubborn line, her eyes flashing in challenge. He nodded to himself, glad that she had come to the same end as he. He'd gotten it out of his system, and he was ready to move past it as best he could. He couldn't shake it completely, but regardless, he was done letting the threat of deportation sour his time with Alice.

He went to her when he had a moment, took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her palm. He smiled for her… the first real one he had been able to conjure since leaving the lawyer's.

"What is it called?" she asked.

He chewed his lip as he considered, and she had a brief flash of surprise as she realized he hadn't named it yet.

"Worst part, you know," he mused.

At her curious look he elaborated. "You work and create and get it just right… and then you have to name it. All of the sudden you have to shove everything you created into a tight concise lil' package."

Alice laughed, delighted he had shared this little bit of insight with her.

"May I try?" she asked.

He nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, please! At this point I'm about to start polling customers."

Alice thought hard about all the sensations and flavors, considered the _feeling _of it.

"Suspended Disquiet," she proposed.

"Good. Morose… but good… and accurate," he approved.

She smiled smugly; he wasn't the only one that could be creative, "Almost time to lock up, my Hatter. Let's get home."

"Yeah. Home. That would be lovely," he agreed, throwing her a full out crooked dimpled grin.

It warmed her heart to see it; they would be okay.

* * *

As they drank their evening tea the meeting with the lawyer was still on both their minds, although they had both tactically agreed to let it go. Hatter could only hope that fate would not be cruel enough to give him such a precious thing like he had with Alice only to yank it away. Alice assured him that there was no way she would ever leave his side. She hoped to convince him to return to Wonderland and confront Jack about it... make him fix it. Although the glass had been closed indefinitely, Hatter had let it slip once that there were other ways to get to his world.

Hatter had been notorious for knowing all sorts of things, and if anyone could find a way to get back to Wonderland, it would be him. She knew he never wanted to return, and she understood his reservations, so she was determined to wait until they had exhausted the other options before even broaching the subject with him again. He had told her once that there was _no way_ he would risk her life (or his own) by crossing back over.

He had tried to gently explain that Jack was in a precarious position as king, that he must appear strong at all costs. For what Hatter had done to him, to _not_ execute him would be inviting disaster. It was not worth the risk. Hatter understood Jack better than Alice did; Jack was coldly practical when it came to ruling Wonderland. He would do what was best for the land, even if it meant doing something morally reprehensible that he would rather not do.

Jack viewed himself as the best king for Wonderland, and he would stay on the throne no matter what the cost. He would even kill Alice if she stood in his way… if she drove him to it. Hatter knew Jack would kill _him_ without hesitation to protect his kingship. Alice disagreed, she couldn't imagine Jack ever doing such a thing, but she had shut up and nodded as if she did.

Alice rubbed the tense muscles of his neck with one hand as she tried to come up with a question for him for their nightly game, to be concluded by wedding planning. They had decided on colors last night and had gone with the unconventional choice of purple. She had given up completely on conventional. Nothing between her and Hatter would ever be normal.

She searched for something lighthearted and playful to ask, they didn't need any more worries than they already had.

"Okay, I've got one. What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?" Alice asked.

He chuckled, "That I had to wee."

Alice rolled her eyes, "That doesn't count. That isn't really thought, it's instinct," she protested.

"Hnn. Fair enough," he agreed.

He looked away for a second as he thought, and when he turned back to face her, his eyes were gravely serious.

"Same as always. Where is Alice?" he admitted.

"Oh," she replied, and she kissed his lips tenderly.

"I'm not leaving you," she said softly.

He nodded; his lips formed a wisp of a smile, "I know it."

"Let's see. Got it," his smile turned mischievous, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Yes," Alice replied quickly.

At his raised eyebrow, she elaborated, "Too much is unexplained, and nowadays I don't discount anything… even if it is weird."

She touched the tip of his nose with her forefinger, emphasizing her point with the living example sitting next to her.

"You?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged, "Yeah. I don't disbelieve anything out of hand either."

Alice smiled as she thought of another question for him, sparked by his last one. She thought she would know what he would say, but sometimes Hatter surprised her. She had to ask.

"Speaking of believing in things… Do you believe in soul mates?" she asked.

"I do now," he answered with a gentle smile curving his lips.

"And you didn't before?" she inquired.

He scoffed, "No. Didn't even believe in love. Not really. You?"

She rolled her eyes, "Romantic drivel."

"Really?" he countered, disbelievingly.

He knew Alice was a far cry from the maudlin sweet girls that usually argued the validity of such things, but he thought what they had together would convince anyone. Even his hard-nosed, tough and practical Alice. It had convinced _him._

"Well yes… except for us," she smirked.

He narrowed his eyes at her playfully, "Funny."

"Alright love… flowers. Weddings have flowers… I was thinking purple irises," he proposed.

"My favorite," Alice smiled.

"Yep. I know. I quite like them as well," Hatter grinned crookedly, confident that he had chosen something she would agree to.

"That one was easy." Alice agreed.

"Sorted," Hatter declared, pulling her into his arms.

* * *

**A/N: Ok so would Jack actually kill Alice? Probably not... but Hatter believes it. I think Hatter wants to believe the worst of him... and he _is_ a good judge of charachter so...**

**And Hatter is _really_ not used to displays of affection from people that don't really know each other that well, he's still adjusting. (Not above a double standard, is he?) And boy does Erica confuse him by her affectionate nature.**

**Naming things is such a pain, have got to agree. Like fictions… *grins* **

**Got some good stuff coming up soon… mwahhaaahaaa. I mean…um…**

**Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this… if so, please do review? Please? Feed my poor muse? And as always, thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This was a stubborn chapter, let me tell ya! I have to say thanks to those that reviewed and kept me pressing on. Thank you! You inspire!**

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Chapter 12

"So are you going to tell me what's up with you and Hatter here recently?" Erica asked.

Alice paused, the inside tie of her gi forgotten for a moment, "What?"

"You have been acting all stressed out and worried, and Hatter has been keeping himself insanely busy. It's no wonder there isn't an ounce of fat on him; he never stays still! When I asked him if there was anything wrong, he just gave me that great big smile of his and said he was fine._ And_ I saw how hard you pushed yourself Monday during class… plus Hatter asked me to cover a shift by myself and he didn't say why. You two came in yesterday afternoon all quiet _and_ Hatter didn't even comment on my new hat," she accused.

Alice wondered how Erica managed to get that many words out without breathing in between them. She cleared her throat and tied her belt as she thought about how to answer. Erica was probably her closest friend, but Alice was Alice, and even her closest friend wasn't privy to her inner workings (with the exception of Hatter). She usually internalized her problems, she hated to even admit they existed to others, but Erica was relentless. Her husband was not from the US… she would understand better than most (although Puerto Rico was a territory of the US, so not so complicated).

"Hatter got served with a Notice to Appear. He has to go to court, and they might deport him. There is a problem with his records," Alice admitted.

"That's horrible! What is wrong with his records?" Erica asked, her bright blue eyes wide in concern.

"There aren't any. To top it off, they are saying his paper birth certificate is a counterfeit, and his parents are dead so…" Alice finished.

"What are you going to do? What about getting married? You're doing it anyway, right?" Erica asked.

Alice sighed, "Turns out it's not that simple. We met with the lawyer yesterday."

She told Erica all about it, their options and the possibility that no matter what they did he could still be deported. Alice did feel a little better after talking about it, even though it didn't change anything.

"What are you two going to do?" Erica asked.

"Well, wait and see I suppose. We're moving up the wedding, though. It's a good thing that it's going to be small," Alice replied.

Erica gave her one of her trademark bear hugs and a hopeful smile, "I'm sure it will work out."

"Thanks," Alice smiled.

"Erica, I wanted to ask you something. Will you be my maid… er… matron of honor?" Alice asked hopefully.

Erica bounced up and down excitedly, "Of course! Oh! I have to find a hat! A Jackie-O hat!"

Alice laughed and rolled her eyes. Hats! She could only imagine how long it would take Hatter to pick out his.

* * *

Hatter surveyed the tea shop, pleased at how his plans were coming to fruition. James had said that the formal tea room/tea market that he had converted the back part of the tea shop to was the realization of his late wife's dream for the business. Hatter grinned broadly and asked what she would have thought about the hip casual café in front, and James just laughed and said she probably wouldn't have known what to make of it, but that he approved. It was the best of both worlds, and his customers ran the gamut from little old ladies to a regular crowd of college students, to commuters that had to stop in for their tea lattes before facing a day stuck inside a cubicle. Hatter's _Wake Up_ tea blend outsold them all, whether it was in straight tea form or heavily dosed with sugar and milk as a latte.

James' approval meant a great deal to Hatter, he had a deep respect for the man that had shown him nothing but kindness since he arrived here. James had made possible his dream of a good life for him and Alice, had acted as a sounding board for his ideas for the business, and had been a good friend to him. He was glad James had taken a chance on hiring a strange man off the streets that was in desperate need of work. He'd even let him the flat above the shop. Keeping him happy with the way he chose to run things was the least he could do for the man.

James mentioned as he was getting ready to leave for the day that he should expect a prospective employee to stop in and see him later on in the evening. He had approached James about a job, and James had told him to come back when Hatter was in. James knew Hatter wanted to hire more help for the shop to cover the late evenings, and the man had said he would prefer to work evenings. More importantly, he said the man had professed to know Hatter. Hatter's dark brows drew together at the mention of this. He knew very few people here, and someone coming into his shop professing to know him made him very uneasy.

Erica came in to report for her shift, and Hatter noticed that she was still not her usual exuberant self today. She continued to cast strange looks his way every now and then, and she was much quieter than normal. It was the quiet that had him worried; it was time to figure out what was wrong.

"Is everything okay?" Hatter asked.

She smiled, but Hatter knew artifice when he saw it. Something was most certainly amiss.

"I saw Alice earlier, and I got her to tell me why you two have been acting so weird recently," she replied.

"Oh?" Hatter said cautiously.

"The deportation thing. I'm so sorry, Hatter. If there is anything I can do, just ask," she offered.

"That. Yeah. We'll be fine… moving up the wedding a bit. Nothing to worry about, yeah? Thanks very much though," he replied, making light of the situation.

Erica shot him a disbelieving grimace, "Really? I'd be worried sick if I thought anyone was going to send Dennis back to Puerto Rico."

Hatter sighed in irritation. Erica was a tenacious little thing. He knew she meant well… but he really would rather not talk about it. He'd had another bad night, his dreams ridden hard with scenarios of Alice being taken away from him, of her being hurt, of her leaving him. He had even woken Alice with his thrashing about, leaving him embarrassed but thankful she was there for him to cling to afterwards.

"Alright, yeah I'm worried… but what am I to do about it? Can we just drop it?" he asked, some of his frustration bleeding through.

"Sorry. I speak without thinking sometimes," she apologized.

Hatter nodded, "It's alright. Forgotten. Let's talk about tea."

Erica nodded, "Ready."

"White tea. What white tea is…" he began.

"Is baby tea leaves!" Erica finished.

"Yes! Did James already tell you about it?" he asked.

"No. Saw it on a commercial. I sounded educated though, didn't I?" Erica laughed.

Hatter rolled his eyes, "And what is more useless than the telly? The adverts."

He chuckled despite himself, it was hard not to when Erica was wearing that bright innocent smile, "So white tea…"

It was only after Erica left for the day that he realized he never got a straight answer out of her. He didn't honestly believe that it was all concern that he might be deported that was bothering her. Possibly the thought that she might lose her job would be worrisome, but that didn't fit right to him either. Besides, she had been acting strangely before then. Maybe that he turned down her offer to do his books? Perhaps he should tell her he had decided to take her up on the offer of organizing them for him. He would ask Alice.

Hatter was wholly unfamiliar with the proper course of action. He was not used caring about other people (besides Alice, of course), and he actually was quite fond of Erica. He liked her husband as well. Dennis has stopped in to pick up Erica at the end of her shift, and he had shared his unhappiness that his wife would also be leaving him behind to go to Nationals. Dennis was completely smitten with Erica, and it showed. He wasn't able to get the time off from work, and they could ill afford to lose the income as it was.

* * *

Alice had a college class that afternoon, and then afterwards she went out for an early dinner with her mother. She missed talking with her every day, even though she wouldn't trade living with Hatter for the world. She hoped that now that her mom knew more about Hatter, the _truth_ about Hatter, that the strain between them would be lifted. She phoned Hatter to let him know not to expect her, but offered to bring him some dinner to make up for it. He had laughed and just requested that she not be the one to cook it. Just for that, he was getting a salad, she decided.

Alice's mother welcomed her in with a hug. She was glad she had dressed up a little bit; her mother took her to a trendy new place that one of her clients had recommended. The food was delicious, although she was getting Hatter a salad, she was sure it would be delicious as well. Carol laughed out loud when she explained why she was getting a salad to go. She said she hoped Alice had at least gotten him a fatty salad dressing and plenty of croutons and ham, she thought he looked about half starved. She reassured her mother that Hatter was most certainly not starved; he ate enough for three people usually.

Carol brought up the topic of Jonas; she said he had been asking for another date, and she was seriously considering it. Alice couldn't believe she was doing it, but she encouraged her to say yes. If her mother could accept that her future son-in-law was from Wonderland, than whom was she to begrudge her mother dating a lawyer? No, not just a lawyer… a family friend that they had _both _known for years.

She told her mom about what Jonas had said about the deportation, and now Carol fully understood how desperate the situation truly was. She didn't have any help for her, but a hug from her mom went a long way to make her feel better. Carol heartily approved of Alice's determination not to let it taint her everyday life. Alice made no mention of moving the wedding up. She thought she would save that for another day.

* * *

A tall sandy-haired young man came into the tea shop during the evening rush. He sat in one of the chairs, but didn't order. Something about him prickled the hair on the back of Hatter's neck, but Alice accused him of paranoia constantly, so he tried to ignore it. Perhaps it was the way he was staring at him. Hatter studied him covertly, using the table of college students next to him as an excuse to get close. They were regulars, so he was able to flirt and charm and smile almost on autopilot. They all knew he was taken, and asked after Alice every time they came in, but it didn't stop them from flirting back. It was all in fun… Hatter didn't flirt with anyone that would take it seriously, or with anyone that would upset Alice.

The young man was staring at him; he figured that must be where the uncomfortable feeling was coming from. The man was tall… about two meters, medium build, early twenties. Dirty blonde longish wavy hair, light brown eyes, handsome in an unremarkable sort of way. Jeans and button down cotton shirt, nice shoes. People would look at him and think he was attractive, but would likely not remember him five minutes later. When he had a moment, he went over to him.

"Can I help you?" he asked cautiously.

"I hope so. I need a job. I spoke with the older gentleman that works here earlier today," he replied.

Hatter narrowed his eyes, "And he told me you said you knew me. I don't know you."

The man grinned sheepishly, "I know, but I know you. If it weren't for you and your girlfriend…"

"Fiancée," Hatter corrected automatically.

"Oh. Congrats," he said.

Hatter nodded and made a rolling gesture with his hand, "Go on."

"I'd still be stuck on… the other side," he finished.

Hatter looked at him sharply, "What precisely are you alluding to?"

"I'm Ryan, by the way. Ryan Shipley," he introduced himself.

Hatter's gaze hardened at his evasiveness, "Charmed. Get to the point."

"I was one of the Oysters you and Alice freed. So… I know _you_, even though you don't know me. And I _do_ need a job. I lost mine… didn't show up for my shift at the coffee house. I couldn't exactly say 'sucked to an alternate universe' as the reason why I didn't show. I'm flipping burgers now… I will do whatever you need me to, but please save me from fast food hell," he persuaded.

Hatter smirked, amused at the young man's gall and humor. It would be nice to have someone around that he didn't have to watch every word with, although he had been watching his back for so long now that it was instinctual. If he was willing to work the later part of the evening, and he didn't need too many hours… maybe. Working at a coffee shop was fairly close in terms of experience… but he would have to learn about tea.

Hatter had checked the books again while Erica was in that morning, and the tea shop was doing well enough to support another employee. It meant he wouldn't be able to put quite so much back towards their wedding, but it also meant that he could spend more time with Alice. It was a fair trade in his mind. James had offered him a chance; maybe it was his turn to offer help when needed.

"I can only offer about four hours a night, and maybe a longer shift once a week on the weekend once you get trained up properly. And it would be on a trial basis at first…" he offered.

He could start going to evening karate classes with Alice again… no more waking up unnaturally early. He would be able to work noon to seven during the week, and just come in for a few hours Saturday afternoons. Better yet, if Alice had another one of those tournaments he could go with her. For now, he'd have overlap on Erica's shift and on Ryan's; plenty of time to get his own administrative work done with someone to cover the front. Of course, he would have to get him trained first…

"That would be great! I am going to nursing school and I don't have time for much more than that," Ryan enthused.

"And Alice will have to meet ya before it is an official yes," he cautioned.

Ryan nodded his understanding.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow at six. Alice will see to all the paperwork," Hatter explained.

They spoke briefly a few minutes longer, but Hatter didn't have much time to spare. He'd learn more about him tomorrow. Worst case, he'd fire him.

* * *

Alice slipped inside the tea shop, paper bag in hand. She sought out Hatter, smiled as she saw him pouring on the charm to a table full of college students. He always seemed to know it when she came in. He lifted his eyes to meet hers; everyone else in the room forgotten. She flushed as his dark intense stare roamed down the line of her body; he never tried to hide the hunger behind his eyes. Her midnight blue wrap dress, charcoal grey lacy tights, and black high heeled ankle boots obviously met with his approval.

Alice met him behind the counter and handed off the paper bag with his dinner in it. She took over running the front for him so he could retreat to his office to sit down to eat. She smirked as she heard his muffled curse from his office as he discovered what she had brought him. That would teach him to make jokes about her cooking.

Hatter insisted on going to The Diner after they locked up for the evening. Alice's 'rabbit food' hadn't done much for him. They walked up the block, his arm tucked around her securely and talked a little bit about their day. Hatter was saving his news of the new hire until they were seated.

Alice signaled for biscuits right away, Hatter truly was hungry. She had forgotten how quickly he seemed to burn through food, and she hadn't even got him a big salad. She almost felt guilty.

"Ah, food! Me stomach is starting to gnaw on me backbone. Your joke earlier? Not funny," Hatter said, fixing Alice with a mock glare.

"Yours either. That'll teach you to knock my cooking," Alice challenged.

He raised an eyebrow, "Does it really bother you?"

"Sometimes," she said.

"Truly?" he asked, his face stricken.

"Not that you tease, no. But it does bother me sometimes that I can't cook… but I just don't like to," she admitted.

"Well you are in luck then, love. I do," he said with a smile.

The food arrived and Hatter dived in. She sipped her coffee and watched him eat. He looked good today, albeit a little tired… he looked good every day. He was wearing one of her favorite shirts, a slim-fitting chocolate brown silk button down. She loved the way the color brought out his dark eyes and darker hair. Hatter being Hatter, he made up for the relative plainness of the shirt with a waistcoat in burnt orange patterned with paisleys in various shades of tan and brown and a loosely knotted burnt orange tie. He had forgone trousers today in favor of dark jeans, and he had worn the porkpie she had found for him, the twin of the one he had left behind in Wonderland. Delicious… even while shoveling in pancakes.

"I like this on you. You look good in brown," she complimented.

He paused, accepting the complement with a small pleased smile. He was glad she approved. He knew he didn't dress like most men in her world did… not the normal average day to day man anyway. Alice had professed to like his style; she didn't want him to change it to suit her world and besides, she said he looked 'damn hot' anyway. Alice had promised him that she wasn't embarrassed of him and never would be. If anything, he just made her feel underdressed most days.

"And you look good in everything... or nothin'," he leered playfully. His expression softened, the teasing edge gone, "You look beautiful, Alice… if I haven't told you so today."

She smiled warmly, "You did." She chuckled. "If I remember correctly I thought you were going to step on your tongue it was hanging out so far."

He shrugged, "Can't help it, love."

"I don't think you try," she argued.

"True," he acceded with a crooked grin. "So… I think I may have someone to work the night shift," he continued, changing the subject.

"Really? I thought you were going to wait on that," Alice inquired.

"I was, but this bloke came in and said he needed work… and that he knew us," he disclosed.

"Us?" Alice asked, her features drawn in confusion.

"From the other side. Said he was one of the ones you set free. Lost his job cause he went missing," he related.

"Oh. How'd he find us?" she asked.

"Recognized you on the street and followed you to the tea shop, and then he saw me and knew he had the right people," he explained.

"You hired him?" Alice asked, surprised by Hatter's ready acceptance of the man's story.

"Not yet. Told him he'd have to meet you, and then it's only on a trial basis. I wouldn't leave him alone on a shift for a while yet," he replied.

Alice tilted her head as she studied him, "You don't trust him?"

Hatter's face grew deadly serious, "Of course not, but we'll give him a chance, yeah?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Good. He comes in tomorrow at six," Hatter related.

They walked home for the evening, Hatter full of late night breakfast and Alice full of coffee. She leaned into him as they walked, and thought how strange it would be to be away from him for a few days. They hadn't been separated since her Aunt Helen had died.

Hatter had been having nightmares almost every night since she told him she was going to be going away. Some were worse than others. Most nights he probably never even knew he had them; she was always quick to smooth his forehead and speak to him, and it usually worked. He would slip back into a calm sleep without ever waking. He had lost so much; he was terrified of losing her too. She had a sneaking suspicion as to why Hatter was so quick to hire another employee.

She thought of it again as they drank their evening tea. Alice was snuggled up in his arms, calm and happy but feeling a bit melancholy about having to leave on Friday.

"Why were you so quick to hire this guy Ryan?" she asked.

"Need someone to cover the evenings, love," he answered easily.

"Hatter," she chastised, knowing he would understand she expected the whole answer.

"I want to be able to go with you next time. Hiring him will let me do that. Besides, you're always telling me that not everyone here is trying to kill me. And… he looked like he could use a break," he reasoned.

She smiled and turned her head to kiss his stubbled jaw, "I wish you could go, too."

His arms tightened around her and pressed a kiss to her hair, "So do I, love. So do I." His heart clenched at the thought of waking up in the morning without her; he hid it as best he could.

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A/N: So the story marches on… hope you enjoyed the read this time and please do review if you do (or don't!)


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Ridiculous copious notes at the end… I'll just say thank you to my readers, and a special bit o' love to those that took a moment to review. *grins* I take them to heart, and they mean a lot to me. Like…squeeeing. Really. **

**Speaking of the squee… ****A Fanmix! Created by Cleo Calliope for 'Always' and 'Forever'! Link on my profile (and hers, too).**

**Ok. Story. Here ya go. Eep... hope you like it. *nervous***

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Chapter 13

Confusion was first, and then came fear swift on its heels. Hatter forced himself to calm; he knew Alice was supposed to still be beside him in bed at this hour... it was still dark outside. He was sure there was an explanation. He listened to the noises of the flat, searching for Alice within it. Empty. He pushed down the instinctive worry that he felt every time he woke to find Alice gone and got out of bed. She would have left him a note, she always did. He hurried to the kitchen to see if she had left it in there on top of his cup, but there was no note, and no cup.

His heart began to pound, thundering in his chest. He even checked the loo, hoping against hope that she might have left him a note in there. He found no note, but he did find Alice's ring on the shelf above the toilet. The blood drained from his face at the sight of it. He didn't know what to think, or how he should feel. Logic was trying to tell him to stop and figure out what was going on, to _think. _He couldn't think. Panic choked him, driving all logical thought from his brain.

He took a deep breath and focused. He couldn't find her if he couldn't manage to get control of himself. No one but Alice could shake him to his very soul like this. He searched for his phone and looked for a message, seeing none waiting he dialed Alice's number. Her mobile rang straight to voicemail. Panic… stomach twisting. He had to stay calm.

The front door was locked, and nothing was disturbed inside the flat. Had she left on her own? Had she been lured outside by something? It was six in the morning; why would she just leave and not tell him? He dressed quickly, thinking to check the shop downstairs. She might not have thought to leave him a note if she was still in the building, but for the life of him he couldn't think of any reason for her to be down there. It was all he had to go on. If she wasn't there he'd start making calls.

The swift tattoo of feet up the stairs froze him in place. The lock turned and the door flew open. It was her.

_Alice, _he thought, relief coursing through him_. _He crossed the floor in three swift strides, intent on sweeping her into his arms. As his hands closed over her shoulders his brain finally made sense of her trainers, shorts and sleeveless top. She had gone out for a _run? _In the _dark_? _Alone? _

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he yelled, his fingers digging into her shoulders.

It came out before he realized it, unedited and raw, his voice loud… harsh. The terror of waking up to find her gone combined with frustration with her because she continued to put herself in danger thoughtlessly, and wrapped with deep hurt… she'd not even spared a thought of what it would do to him if he woke to find her gone, and it all boiled over into righteous anger.

"I just…" she began.

"Just what?" he interrupted, eyes flashing. "Do you not understand how dangerous it is out there in the dark…alone? What an easy target you look like?" he railed.

"I'm _not," s_he argued, offended at his presumption that she would knowingly place herself in danger and that she was helpless to defend herself.

"Bullshit, you're not!" he bit back, his voice raising an octave.

"Hatter, I have lived here my whole life. I didn't run at the park, I went to a lighted _and patrolled_ track. Give me some credit. I'm not helpless and I'm not an idiot," she reposted, her voice tight and cold.

"And I knew that how? I had no idea where you were. What if you were hurt? What if you were dead?" he returned, shaking her slightly, his voice hard.

"I didn't think you would be up! I was planning on being back, and I brought my phone," she rationalized.

"Yeah? Well you didn't answer it!" he argued fiercely.

His hands on her arms were trembling. She looked into his still wild dark eyes, and realized her error. She had frightened him, and badly. She should have known better. After last night, she shouldn't have even taken the chance that he might wake up before she got back. He _was_ angry… but he had been more afraid than anything else. No matter how capable she was… how safe she had actually been, he hadn't known it. It was wrong of her to scare him like that. _She_ was wrong, and she knew it.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," she apologized softly, swallowing her pride.

"Promise me you'll not _ever_ do that again? Please?" he appealed, calming in the face of her contrite apology.

She nodded, "Promise."

She wound her arms around his narrow waist and embraced him. A short few seconds later and he returned it, melting into her. He held her tightly, almost to the point of pain. She didn't mind it… she understood it, understood him.

"Scared me half to death," he murmured.

"I know. I didn't mean to," she answered.

She had woken early and couldn't get back to sleep. She had just wanted to clear her mind so she decided a hard run was the best thing for it. She had even left her ring behind so it wasn't a temptation to any muggers. _Ah._ And she would bet anything that he had seen it and that it had freaked him out even worse. She thought he would be out cold for a few hours yet. It was stupid of her to not leave a note anyway, just in case. She wouldn't do it again. Not ever.

* * *

That morning Alice put her class through a brutal workout. All classes were cancelled on Friday, so she knew everyone that was travelling to the tournament would have plenty of time to recover from it before they had to fight. Hatter was dripping with sweat, his unruly mop of hair damp with it, his gi soaked through. He had thrown himself into the movements, losing himself to it completely. He understood what she was doing, and why. Throughout the class, he had not even had a moment's spare thought to her leaving tomorrow, and he was so exhausted that he knew without doubt that he would sleep tonight (that is, if he could make it through the day now that she had wrung every drop of energy from him.)

During the day he was fine; he even managed to forget about it sometimes… but when he slept it all came crashing down on him. Last night had been bad. Memories and fears all twisted up together to claw at his insides; nightmares that left him gasping for air as he woke with a throat worn raw from screaming. Alice had held him until he was able to sleep, stroking his hair and holding him close. She asked him what was in his dreams, but he just shook his head. He could barely remember the content, just the choking terror and sense of loss… and a needle loaded with fire. It burned him… just a dream.

She said she wouldn't leave him again. Next time, the dojo could do without her if he wasn't able to come along. He hated the thought… hated it and loved it at the same time. He didn't want to ever be the reason why she was held back at anything. It was stupid and made him feel weak and it was terribly frustrating for him… worse yet, he couldn't hide it unless he didn't sleep next to her. _That_ option was out of the question. The constant threat of being deported along with her leaving him to compete out of state was eating at him, despite his best intentions to put it out of his mind.

Alice stayed after class to speak with Sensei Lim about the details of the trip. Most of them would be loading up in a van and riding out together. It would take about six hours to drive to Richmond, Virginia, and then they would check into their hotel and ride out to the convention center in the morning. Sunday afternoon they would head home. Alice should be back by about nine p.m. on Sunday. Hatter's face fell at the news she would be gone most of Sunday… it seemed like a waste of a day off to him.

Although it was important to get all the details ironed out for tomorrow, it left them precious little time to shower, change clothes, and eat lunch before Alice had to go to class and Hatter had to go to work. Alice headed straight to the shower, pulling her hair out of her tight ponytail as she went. Hatter followed her to the door of the bathroom, watched her begin to strip off her clothes with an increasingly interested cocky grin.

"Room in there for me, love? For expediency's sake, of course," he asked, already pulling his t-shirt over his head.

"Looks like you have already decided what my answer is," she shot back as she turned on the taps.

"No," he disagreed with a challenging lift of his eyebrows. When she turned back to him, disbelief written all over her face, he continued, "I have to shower anyway, yeah? I might as well take off some kit while I wait for ya. Saves time," he smirked, confident in his justification.

Alice rolled her eyes. They _really_ did not have much time today, and if he got in the shower with her she would be late to her class. Hatter still didn't always understand the importance of being on time; Wonderland had been a bit more flexible. It had to be, considering that the days didn't have the same amount of hours in them from one day to the next. Most Wonderlandians relied on the angle of the sun more than any timepiece. As a result, Hatter had never developed the appreciation for punctuality that Alice had.

Oh, sometimes Hatter got it, but it depended on the context. He got that if he was late for work that James would have to stay late, and so he didn't do it. He understood that Alice had only a limited time frame to teach at the dojo, so she had to start at a particular time. He understood that if the shop wasn't open when it should be, or closed early, that customers found somewhere else to go.

In most cases, he got it. But the idea that Alice would pay as much as she did to attend a class, have to put forth as much effort as she did to keep up with the coursework, and then fail it because she was five minutes late on a couple of occasions? He didn't get that. For that matter, neither did she, but she accepted it as being one of those things… that's just how it was. He didn't seem to; five minutes shouldn't matter that much.

He argued that she had already paid for the class, so she should be able to skip it if she liked. If she failed, then she lost her money. What did it matter if she _actually_ attended? She wholeheartedly agreed with him, but her university's rules stated that three tardy classes would equal a drop in grade, and a fourth meant a fail for the class. Thanks to their romps that usually began with a shared shower, she had already accumulated two, and this particular instructor didn't believe in allowing for any leeway.

"Hatter I _can't_ be late for class. You can wait your turn," she argued.

She turned to look at him when he didn't answer her back right away. He was always quick to riposte, but he was strangely silent. He stood in the doorway barefoot, white t-shirt gripped loosely in his hand hanging by his side. His typically gravity defying hair was in even more disarray than usual; damp strands hung in his eyes, others standing up on end. His face held no trace of humor, not any longer. His eyes were haunted and she detected hurt behind them.

"I could pack you summat to eat on the way to school," he offered with a ghost of a smile.

He just wanted to be near her. She had never told him no before, and he was trying hard to force his heart to understand what his brain knew… that it wasn't a rejection of him at all. She legitimately could not be late for class again, and if he joined her in the shower they would lose track of time and she would be late for class… again.

"Hatter…" Alice began.

"Kiddin', love. Give me a shout when you're done, yeah?" he smiled, but it didn't go to his eyes.

He turned to go and she snagged his wrist, "If you make me late, you will pay… and _not_ in the good way," she threatened.

This time his smile warmed her through, almost blinding in its intensity.

True to his word, Hatter packed her a lunch, and she left in plenty of time to get to class… and with a smile on her face.

* * *

Erica was more like her old self again today, happy and affectionate. She had found a red pillbox hat with fine black mesh netting accent at a thrift store and she preened for Hatter after he complemented her on it. She told him she had been shopping for a hat for their wedding, and she couldn't pass it up. She gushed nonstop about how excited she was that she was going to be in the wedding, and insisted that Alice and Hatter let her handle getting their wedding cake. Her cousin was a cake decorator, and she and Dennis wanted to get them something. She was so adamant that Hatter finally agreed; he hoped Alice wouldn't mind.

He spent the next half hour answering questions about what they had planned so far. Unfortunately, he had to answer 'we've not decided' quite a few times. She noted his growing exasperation and promised that she only had one more for him.

"Last one?" he asked, wanting her assurance that the inquisition would cease before he answered another question.

"Promise," she swore, holding up her right hand.

He rolled his eyes good naturedly and gestured for her to begin.

"So what is the wedding date now, anyway?" she asked with a grin.

Hatter paused, "That's an important bit, in't it?"

Erica laughed, "Ahh, yes. Pretty important. You don't know, do you?"

"No. Not exactly," he admitted with a rueful chuckle.

Erica left off the wedding talk, and a much relieved Hatter took the time to run inventory and make calls while she was still there. He also got her to help him with a little surprise he had for Alice; he hoped he would be able to pull it off. If he was able to, it would be worth the trouble.

* * *

Alice had been in the shop for a couple of hours before Ryan Shipley reported in for work. She was seated at her table, trying to get a jump on her homework for next week. She watched him covertly as he strode through the door. He took a direct path to Hatter, and stuck out his hand in greeting. Hatter shook it and spoke with him a few moments before he motioned for her to come over to meet him.

"Ryan, this is Alice. Alice, Ryan Shipley," Hatter introduced.

"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking his hand.

"I've heard a lot about you. Wow. _The_ Alice," Ryan replied.

Hatter chuckled, earning him a glare from Alice. He schooled his face into serious lines obediently, raising his hands in defense. Alice rolled her eyes and ignored his theatrics, turning to speak to Ryan.

"Not here, I'm not. Come on back to the office. We'll talk and you can fill out all five hundred forms in triplicate," she joked.

About an hour later, Ryan and Alice emerged from the office. Alice gave Hatter a slight shrug, as if to say 'why not?' Hatter walked him through his duties, and then sent him home for the evening. He would rather close up shop tonight with just he and Alice; he would have plenty of time tomorrow to show him more. They closed the shop in easy familiarity and retired to their flat for the evening, anxious to have some quiet time alone together.

Once home, Alice and Hatter stripped down to more comfortable clothes and settled in on the couch with steaming cups of tea. Neither one wanted to discuss the fact that she was leaving in the morning; Hatter was doing his best to not think about it.

"Erica sort of insisted that she and Dennis were going to get a cake for our wedding," Hatter disclosed, beginning their conversation.

Alice laughed, "Let me guess, she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I tried… honest," he replied, still a little confused by how it happened.

"It's fine, Hatter. I think it's very sweet of them… but cakes are expensive. Maybe they will let us pay for half," she considered.

"She has a cousin that does cakes she said. It should make it cheaper, yeah?" he offered.

"Oh. Probably. That's settled," she smiled.

"Alice? Not to press, but when exactly are we getting married?" he asked tentatively.

She turned to face him, studied the hesitancy in his face with a slight smile. She couldn't believe he still held any doubt about her commitment to marry him, "Hatter… I'd marry you tomorrow. You aren't going to scare me off, okay? I guess we _do_ need to come up with a date though."

He nodded seriously, "Good. I know. And yes, we do."

"We need a little time to get everything together, plus I don't know how long it will take to get a dress. Sometimes they have to order the dresses… you try on a sample," she explained.

"We need to find your dress then," he agreed.

"A suit for you, too," Alice added.

"Gah! I'd not even thought about that!" he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Of course, we could just do a super casual wedding. That makes things much easier," she suggested.

"No. Not happening, love. We'll do it proper," he countered, his jaw set stubbornly.

Alice sighed, but she knew she wasn't winning this one. Hatter might have said he wanted a wedding with all the trimmings for her, but she suspected _he_ wanted it. Well, she was only planning on doing this once; she might as well do it all the way.

"Okay then. When I get back we go dress and suit shopping. If we can get everything in on time we'll set the date for another month," she proposed.

"Your mum…" Hatter began.

"If she has a problem with it, she doesn't have to go," Alice argued.

He opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off, "No. We don't have time to wait, anyway. The longer we are married before your trial the better," she insisted.

"Alright! Convinced," he agreed.

If she wanted to marry him quickly, he wouldn't dream of trying to dissuade her. He had already made his token protest on behalf of her mother. Neither one of them felt much like talking after that particular business was decided. Alice put on some music and settled back into the circle of Hatter's strong arms. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him; she was going to miss him desperately.

Alice's eyes were drifting closed when Hatter bent his head and began kissing her neck, languid and soft. She leaned her head back on his shoulder to better expose her neck to him, and he took full advantage. She shivered… even as gently as he was touching her; it sent fire through her veins. His hands moved down her body possessively, tenderly… Alice gave herself over to it, relaxing into his touch. He kissed her as she turned her head to face him, long thorough kisses he poured his heart into.

"Let's go to bed," she said softly.

She would leave tomorrow, but it was only a few days. She told herself over and over that a few days were nothing… she shouldn't be so distressed at the thought of it. It didn't work. There was an aching sadness as they made love that night, but it was sweet and tender and passionate just the same. She would miss him.

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A/N: Odd that this particular chapter coincides with my real life a wee bit. I'm driving out of state on Saturday (9 hours!) for a trip for work. Shall miss the kiddo and my hubby, but at least it's not out of country and I'm not gone 120+ days. I'll be gone a little over a week. I'm not real sure about how regularly I'll be able to update… might be a bit of a delay on the next chapter. I'll try my best to write it and get it uploaded within a week.

**Sure hope you liked this one…please feed my ravenous muse by way of review? It is my motivation to write! **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Well I got back in town late Saturday night, and here is a chapter already. I have to think the kind reviews for my quick writing… I was much much anxious to get back to this. I hope you enjoy.**

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Chapter 14

Friday morning Alice's first thought was '_I'm leaving today.'_ She snuggled in deeper beneath the covers, tucking herself against Hatter for just a few moments before she had to get out of bed. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. She breathed him in, enjoying the moment. She would miss this… miss him. He made her feel cherished and protected without being overbearing or smothering. Part of that had to be just _Hatter_; he loved her with ever fiber of his being and she couldn't fail to see that everything he did was a reflection of that. Even when he was asleep Hatter was always aware of her, was always reaching for her. She sighed and started to get out of bed; Hatter's arms tightened around her.

"No. Stay," he said sleepily, his voice rusty.

She kissed his chin; he would need to shave again soon. He was getting scruffy. Scruffy-ish. Scruffy-er.

"Ten minutes, then I have to get up," she conceded.

"Hnnn," he said in acknowledgement, if not agreement.

He tucked her in closer, pressed his lips to her temple and squeezed her gently. He wanted to stay in this moment forever, his Alice nestled in close to him in their bed, her hair tickling his cheek. He inhaled the scent of her, comforting and soothing. She had a way of bringing everything into balance for him; her presence was a touchstone for him. He would be lost without her; he knew there was no way he could ever go back to existing in the grey half-life he led before her.

She _really _hated to leave. He felt safe and warm and like _home_. She closed her eyes, traced over his defined shoulder and down his chest, mapping him with her fingertips. She knew every scar, every inch of him. Alice relaxed into him, knowing her alarm would go off at the ten minute mark anyway. She drifted in a half waking, half sleeping daze until it was time to get up. She sighed deeply and untangled herself from his embrace, slipping from the warmth and security of the bed. Hatter slid out of bed with her to her surprise.

"I thought you would just tell me goodbye here?" she asked.

"No, I'm going to walk ya there," he replied.

She smiled at him gently, "Okay."

He stood there in his maroon silk boxers, his thick mop of hair sleep rumpled, blinking at her blearily but determined to get up with her. She went up on her toes and kissed his cheek. It was sweet of him; she knew how much he hated mornings. At least he had slept better last night than he had the past few before it. She hoped he would get ready faster than he usually did, she had only allotted enough time for her to get ready to go and Hatter took ages to get dressed.

"I'll get the tea," she offered.

"Brilliant," he acknowledged.

She proffered him a cup of tea as he made his way back into the kitchen and then left him there while she went to take care of teeth brushing and all the normal morning necessities. He was on his second cup of tea and looked much more clear-eyed by the time she re-joined him in the kitchen. She went to the cupboard and pulled out a box of instant oatmeal, a bowl and a spoon.

"Ehh," Hatter remarked as she filled the bowl with enough water for a serving, a look of disgust on his face.

"It's not bad," she disagreed.

"Pfft. Mine is much tastier," he countered.

"_Yours_ takes too long," she argued.

"But it tastes better," he pointed out.

"It's fine, Hatter. I _like_ instant oatmeal," she assured him.

He shook his head in disbelief. To him it tasted like mush… no texture, and no real oat flavor either.

"I thought you said you could eat anything?" she said, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"I _can_, but it doesn't mean I _need_ to. Not anymore, anyway," he explained.

He got up from the table and pulled out a frying pan and the eggs, bread, and orange marmalade.

"Fancy eggs and toast?" he asked.

"Nope. I'm good with my oatmeal." she declined.

He rolled his eyes dramatically and grinned, "Suit yourself, love."

"No accounting for bad taste…" he murmured not quite under his breath.

She swatted at his silk-clad backside, but he nimbly darted out of reach. He brandished his spatula at her and lifted an eyebrow.

"None of that… stop messing about. You'll have me burn me breakfast if ya keep that up." He asserted, face serious but his eyes twinkled with mirth.

When he was convinced she wasn't going to interfere with him any more, he turned back to his cooking. She watched him as he made himself a quick breakfast, enjoying the view. He hadn't bothered to put on anything over his boxers this morning, and she was glad of it. She smiled innocently as he finished his cooking and sat across from her, pretending that she hadn't been ogling him. She hoped she didn't have any drool on her chin. His very male, very satisfied smirk told her he caught her… that man saw _everything. _Still, she could pretend… for the sake of her dignity if nothing else. She took small comfort in the fact that she had the same effect on him. Of course, Hatter was not the least bit embarrassed when he was caught looking at _her_. He didn't even try to hide it.

They talked about her agenda and what else they would be doing in Virginia, Hatter asking a million and one questions about the trip and what that part of the country was like and the tournament itself. He had been on the internet looking up loads of facts on the area, and she had to tell him that he probably knew more than she did.

He went to go dress as she finished getting what she needed for the trip together. He donned black jeans, dove grey silk shirt, black and grey pinstriped waistcoat and his black half boots and black fedora, topping it all with a slim fitting black leather blazer. She looked at him curiously from top to bottom. He usually had at least a splash of color or a wild pattern or _something_. It made him look paler than usual, although (as always) he looked good in it.

"Awfully somber today," she commented.

The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Yeah."

_Oh. _She got it. She stepped into his arms and gave him a quick hug, pressing her cheek to his chest. He melted into her as he always did when she hugged him, and she swallowed hard against the lump rising in her throat. She wasn't emotional, she wasn't a crier, damn it… but this tore at her heart. She thought this time it would be easier to be apart from him, after all there was no sad emergency, and it was a shorter span of time, but if anything it was harder. He was too much a part of her life now for it not to be.

"It's only a few days," she said quietly, but she didn't know which one of them she was trying to convince more.

Hatter didn't reply.

He walked her down the block, one arm wound around her, the other carrying her suitcase. Alice had her duffle slung over her shoulder; she was happy he was there to help her with her bags. She usually rolled her suitcase along behind her, but the tiny wheels on the thing meant she spent twice as long trying to get anywhere and Hatter carried it easily.

She and Hatter greeted the gathering students and instructors, Hatter helped load the gear into the van while she organized her students. He laughed off his fellow students ribbing him about not coming along, stating he had to work but he wished them all luck. They liked him at the dojo; his ready smile, charming manner, and dogged determination in class helped him to win their acceptance. She motioned him inside the office while everyone started loading themselves into the vehicles.

"I'd like a kiss goodbye," she said, smiling up at him.

He didn't comment, just bent his head to hers and kissed her fiercely. She dug her fingers into his hair and cleaved to him. It ended too quickly, but they were waiting on her. She had to go.

"I love you," she said softly as they broke apart.

"And I love you. You be careful, you know how trouble is always attracted to you," he replied, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Alice shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. She held his hand as she led him out the front; she embraced him tightly one last time.

"I'll miss you, Alice," he whispered.

"I'll miss you, too," she replied softly.

They separated, and Hatter gave her a small smile, "Ring me when you get there, and good luck."

She nodded, blinking back her own tears as she saw the moisture gathering in his, and then jumped in the van. He watched it go, staring after long past when it disappeared from sight. He shook himself and began the walk home. It was only a few days. She would be fine, he just hoped he would be. He sighed and laughed at himself. _Soft. Definitely getting soft, _he thought.

He paused at his shop front and shrugged. Work would keep his mind busy, and he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. He entered the door and headed behind the counter, raising a hand to James in greeting.

"David! What are you doing in so early?" James asked curiously as he made his way over to him.

Hatter gave a short laugh, "Alice left for her big tournament this morning. I went to see her off. Figured I might as well get some work done, seeing as how I'm up," he replied.

James gave him a knowing look, "I see."

He gave a half-embarrassed shrug and headed back to his office. He had to place his orders and make a number of calls, and before he knew it James' shift was over. He worked steadily until Ryan came in, pulling on his charming persona easily although he didn't feel very social. The rest of the evening was busy; he had to spend more time training Ryan than he had to with Erica. Ryan was bright enough, but Erica was exceptionally so. Hatter hadn't realized how truly easy she had been to train. At least Ryan knew how to wait on customers, run the register and take orders, that helped quite a bit. Erica would have told him he was out of uniform… Ryan wore no hat.

Ryan was polite and witty, but Hatter was having a difficult time getting a true sense of him. It made him uneasy; he was used to relying on his unique brand of people sense to judge people's motivations. He supposed that it only stood to reason that there was bound to be a few people that he had difficulty reading. Ryan just seemed to be a little more self-contained than most. Hatter couldn't find fault with him, but he was determined to keep him at arms length until he got to know him a little better. He did appreciate the help locking up for the evening, but it reminded him painfully of all the evenings that he and Alice spent closing up shop together. After Ryan was trained, he could let Ryan close up and his evenings with Alice could begin earlier. He looked forward to it.

He went up to his flat after the shop was locked up tight and he bade Ryan good night. He rang Alice back as he made his evening cup of tea. He'd gotten a call that she had arrived safely, but they hadn't had much time to talk. He sipped his tea and asked her about her day, and told her about his. She was curious how their new employee was working out, and he told her all about that at length, as well. He admitted that he was unsure of him, but Alice told him that they should watch any new employee carefully anyway. He felt better for her agreement with him; he was glad she wasn't accusing him of being paranoid again.

He closed his eyes and pictured her face as she talked to him, and Alice did the same. After they had exhausted the topics of new news, they moved on to wedding talk. It was good to talk about something that would bring them together when they were physically so far apart.

"So, I was thinking… who marries you in Wonderland? I was going to get a judge to do it for us, but then I started thinking that you might have a preference," Alice asked, as she broached the subject first.

"The crown. One of the royalty usually will do it, and once a year the queen does a mass ceremony. Or there is a small sect that has beliefs very similar to your Christians here, 'cept their god is a 'she'… or you can do it like most of us ordinary people do and make your promises to each other with your family to witness," he explained.

Alice was intrigued, she hadn't thought to ask about Wonderland traditions and she felt like maybe she should have before now.

"So what do your vows consist of? Do you have traditional ones?" she asked.

"If you get married by the crown, you promise to bring your lives together in service of the crown, to be obedient servants to the crown, to put the desires of the queen above their own… lots of other self serving bullshit," he laughed, but it had a bitter tinge to it.

"Who would want _that_ to be their wedding vows?" she asked incredulously.

"A lot of people… it was considered a _great honor,_" he added, sarcasm thick in his voice.

"Well… how about what the ordinary people do?" she asked, wanting to steer the conversation to happier topics.

"You have flowers… supposed to be a symbol of life. There are cakes… the bride and groom share one, and as much family as can be present," he said thoughtfully, as if dredging up the words from some long ago unused memory.

"We usually save the top of the cake and freeze it to eat for the first anniversary," Alice related.

Hatter made a noise of disgust and Alice laughed. She had to admit the prospect of eating year old cake didn't appeal to her much either.

"How about we eat ours instead?" she offered.

"Yep. Was just about to suggest that," he agreed.

"What about the vows?" she asked.

He gave a short laugh, "Now _those_ can get interesting. It is whatever the bride and groom feel like they should promise to each other."

"We can do that. I'd like that better than the traditional vows. I'm not fond of the word _obey_ being in there," she offered.

"Wait…wait. Just a moment… Obey? Your vows say you would obey me? I want those," he joked.

She snorted, "Right. Not a chance. I had planned to omit that part if I ever got married."

He laughed out loud at her tone, and he wouldn't have her any other way… even if she could be maddeningly stubborn. He could almost see the expressions flowing across her face and he felt closer to her just hearing her voice. He loved that in her world telephones were so accessible to everyone, it helped ease the ache in his heart to hear her.

"What else is different?" she asked.

"Well there is the tea… but that would be weird for your world. I would make a special blend for us since I am the closest thing to a master tea blender I know, and then we have a family tea. We make it together… there is a ceremony to it, and then all of the guests drink a cup of it," he related.

"I think that it is beautiful… and we are getting married in a tea shop. I don't think it would be out of place, honestly. I want us to do that," she insisted.

"Families used to seek me father out for that. They had to place requests months out… he was a true Master," he mused.

"You are, too. He'd be proud of you, Hatter," she said softly.

He gave a brief laugh, "Perhaps, yeah."

"He would," she insisted.

He liked to think that just maybe she was right; he had done a lot right with his life lately. He wished his mother and father were alive to see it. He swallowed hard, cleared his throat and threw off the melancholy that descended on him.

"So, Alice… you have been asking more than your fair share of questions. Fancy letting me have a go?" he asked lightly.

"Go." She agreed.

"What color are your knickers?" he joked, his voice gone low and teasing.

TBC

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A/N: I do hope you liked this one. So I'm going to call it fluffin-choly. Once again, my fic... my words. We'll get to know Ryan a bit more next chapter, and there is a few other things coming, too.

**Please do review to feed starving muses? Reviews=motivation X quicker writing**

**Oh, and I can't wait to show off the wedding stuff. *bounce, bounce* I have been shopping for them.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I hope you like this one… musical inspiration by Dashboard Confessional- Even Now.**

**Those of you that took a moment to review, it means the world to me. Thank you so much!**

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Chapter 15

Hatter waited anxiously for Alice's call. He had kept busy throughout the day, not only coming in for work early but staying late as well. It had done the trick to keep his mind occupied except for when business slowed down enough for him to think. Ryan had done better today, but Hatter was still unimpressed with both his work ethic and his enthusiasm. Though he was glad he had the chance to give someone a break like he'd had, he couldn't help but wish that Ryan was a bit more interested in tea... or in working. At least he was only going to be using him in the least hectic hours of the shop, and to be honest, to take out the trash and sweep and wipe the tables and do all the other menial tasks that Hatter had gotten rather used to _not _having to do. Ryan would surely pick it up soon enough, or Hatter would find someone else to fill the void.

Ryan was fairly witty and liked to talk, but he also had to caution Ryan about speaking of Wonderland where others could hear. Ryan had laughed it off, stating that anyone that overheard would just think they were discussing a film, but Hatter didn't fancy taking the chance. He wanted to seem as if he was from this world, and a grown man discussing Wonderland would attract attention of the sort he'd not want. Ryan had even gone so far as to ask him how often he returned to Wonderland, assuming that Hatter must go back and forth regularly. Hatter had told him flatly that he didn't. He was in Alice's world to stay, and he had no plans to venture back there. Ryan had not taken his answer seriously, and had asked again later that evening. He got the same curt response. The third time he asked, Hatter had let him get a glimpse of what lay beneath his charming exterior. Ryan didn't ask a fourth time… and Hatter decided the man had to have _some_ sense.

Dennis stopped by in the afternoon to discuss Hatter's plans to surprise Alice. Erica had assured him that Dennis would be more than happy to help, and he was. He promised he'd have everything set, and then Hatter opened the register and counted out a stack of cash to him. He was giving him extra for going to all the trouble of arranging this for him, and Hatter knew he could use it. Alice had said that Dennis was 'let go' from work, and was now working as a bouncer to help pay the bills. He had been amused at the phrase when Alice had explained it to him, as if it was a favor to the employee to get sacked. She said there were a lot of people that were in the same situation these days.

Between Dennis working as a bouncer a few evenings a week, the dojo, and Erica's income they made enough to scrape by. Thankfully Erica had a scholarship, so her education was in no danger. She would make a lot of money once she had completed her Master's degree; all the struggling was temporary. Dennis explained that he had worked as a paramedic before, but he hated to have to do it again. The hours were long and irregular, and in a city this size the job was dangerous. He had even been held up at gunpoint once. His job at a doctor's office had meant regular hours and good pay. He was still hoping to find another office to hire him, but the search had been fruitless so far.

Erica finding work at the tea shop had been a sigh of relief to them both, and Dennis was clearly thankful for it. He told Hatter that if he ever needed anything, anything at all, from either himself or Erica, he only needed to ask. Hatter had just nodded, a little overwhelmed; he was fairly sure that Dennis had been completely sincere in the offer. Hatter wished he could pay Erica a little bit more, but with the addition of Ryan to his staff his budget had gotten much tighter. After the wedding, he'd have more to spare. Besides, Erica would think it was charity and would never accept it. If he were to pay her more it would have to be because she did more work… like maintaining the shop's books. He sighed ruefully as Dennis left; it seemed like he and Alice didn't have the market cornered on problems. The world had more than enough to go around.

* * *

Alice smiled and closed her eyes as she heard Hatter's voice on the line. She'd had a terrible day at the tournament, and she was in desperate need of cheering up. She usually loved these competitions; Alice was the competitive sort, but this one had gone terribly so far. She had done alright, but she swore that the people that were scoring were blind. They kept missing her team's points and their opponent's fouls. Erica had gotten a black eye, and the judges hadn't even called it. The whole experience was ruined by the injustice of it; her students deserved better than this. She told herself that her black mood was for these reasons, and had nothing to do with the fact that she missed Hatter so badly that it bordered on embarrassing.

She would be glad when it was over... this was by far the worst tournament she had ever participated in. To add insult to injury, her hotel accommodations left much to be desired. Her room was next to a family of six… and the children were not well behaved. Come to think of it, neither were the adults. They had a very loud disagreement over where they were going to eat dinner, and Alice had the pleasure of hearing the entire argument at an ear piercing volume… twice. _And_ on top of everything else the room was filthy. There had been a cockroach daring her to come into its territory in the bathroom… it was actually waving its front legs at her in challenge. If the roaches were this bold, they were likely everywhere. Eww. She had hardly gotten any sleep, but by the roughened sound of Hatter's voice he hadn't either. At least _his_ bed hadn't been contaminated by an innumerable amount of strangers' bodily fluids and small creatures.

She stretched out on the bed and closed her eyes to listen to him speak, his lilting voice rasping in her ear. He told her about his day, lamenting Erica's absence. He had gotten used to having someone to mind the register for him while he was taking care of his other duties, and he had run himself ragged trying to accomplish as much as he usually did. He didn't know how he had managed it before she came to work for him. Alice had to throw in an 'I told you so,' and Hatter had laughingly agreed that she'd been right. He related his growing reservations about Ryan, but she encouraged Hatter to give him a little bit more time. She had been thrilled at the thought of Hatter having more free time again, and she hesitated to throw that away.

Alice complained about the tournament, and he commented and asked questions, and even grew outraged on her behalf. She described her hotel room with its lime green shag carpet, red and gold velvet striped wallpaper, and busted neon sign that caused it to read 'Sin Inn' instead of its rightful name. He laughed uproariously at this, especially after she described some of the clientele that frequented the place. Well, it was cost effective anyway. His warm laughter had done much to ameliorate her bad mood, but she missed him; she wanted to be at home in his arms.

"You sound so tired… rough night last night?" she asked, concerned.

He laughed it off, "Always is, without you."

"How much sleep did you get?" she asked curiously.

She knew he would never tell her if he'd been kept up by nightmares again. By the scratch in his voice and the way his accent had thickened and blurred together his words she already had her answer. She would bet that he had gotten a few hours, at best. He wouldn't lie to her, but he could be remarkably reticent when he didn't want to discuss something. Ordinarily she would pin him down when he tried to dance around and avoid answering her. He did the same to her, after all. He had joked once that it was inconvenient for her posses the rare ability to see past his bullshit, but the fact of it was that she just knew him… and he found it nearly impossible to lie to her. She wouldn't call him on his evasiveness though, not this time.

"Some. If it's any consolation to ya, I'm knackered now; I know I'll sleep tonight," he offered.

"Hmm, some. I didn't sleep very much either. I have a family of brats staying next to me. I think they might be bowling right now, or maybe throwing each other against the walls," Alice related.

Hatter made a noise of amusement, "At least it is your last night," he consoled.

"Provided the cockroaches don't carry me off to their leader, yeah," she laughed.

"Ehhh," He sympathized, disgusted for her.

"But tomorrow night I'll be home," Alice added.

"Yeah. Not soon enough. I miss you," he replied softly.

"Yeah. I miss you too," she acknowledged.

"I don't know how I'm going to fall asleep. I keep feeling little feet on me every time I close my eyes," Alice admitted.

"I'll stay on until you do, yeah? You know I'm not often at a loss for words," he offered, and Alice could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Hatter, no. You're exhausted. I'll be fine," Alice demurred.

"Won't hear of it," he countered smoothly, knowing the argument was already won.

Alice woke hours later, lying with her phone still pressed to her ear under her head. She smiled as she heard Hatter softly snoring on the other end of the line and shut off her phone. She fell back to sleep, still smiling as she dreamed of her Hatter.

* * *

Alice trudged into her hotel lobby, exhausted and sore from another day of fighting and coaching and bad calls by the scorekeepers. Her shoulder was killing her, and the last thing she wanted to do was to spend six hours in a cramped van with all the other students on the drive home. What she _wanted_ was her Hatter, her bed, a massage, and (and she never thought she'd say _this_) a nice cup of tea. In that order, preferably. Ah hell, if she could arrange to have the first three, (and all at once would be nicer still) she'd be in heaven.

She had been seeing Hatter everywhere she looked today, and she thought she really needed to have serious words with her subconscious. Every dark haired man in a hat made her start and stare until she was able to confirm positively that it wasn't him. It was ridiculous, she had seen him just two days ago. She thought maybe this absence hit her so hard because this time she had left voluntarily. When she had gone to see Aunt Helen, she had been needed. She _should_ be here, but she didn't _have_ to be, didn't _need_ to be.

Sensei would have understood if she had chosen to stay home, although he would have been disappointed. Her students would have even understood, but she felt like she had a responsibility to come along. Alice had always taken her responsibilities very seriously, and she didn't foresee a time when she wouldn't. She had tried to make the best of it, the decision had been made.

Alice had continued to see phantom Hatters everywhere she looked, and had continued to sink deeper and deeper into her black mood as the day wore on. That was probably why it took her a moment to register that the dark-haired handsome man in a black fedora striding quickly towards her wearing a truly devastating devilish crooked grin was _her_ Hatter. He swept her up in his arms and squeezed her tightly before pressing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Hello, love," he breathed, his eyes drinking her in.

"What are you doing here?" Alice asked in astonishment as soon as she had recovered enough to speak.

"Can't seem to stay away," he admitted with a wry grin, his dimple flashing in his cheek.

"How?" she asked breathlessly.

"Dennis rented a car and we drove down to pick you girls up," he explained.

He gave a self-satisfied smirk, "Good surprise, yeah?"

"Definitely. I like your surprises," she agreed.

"Really?" he purred suggestively.

She laughed out loud and hugged him again before dragging him after her to her room to help her pack. Well, to help her pack and do lots of other things. A few other things, anyway. The room really _was_ filthy. Hatter had literally shuddered as he walked into the room. He agreed that the décor almost blindingly bad. They didn't linger, despite how badly Alice wanted to jump him.

* * *

Erica offered to drive the first rotation, considering Dennis had driven the whole way on his own. Hatter offered to drive, but the offer was declined unanimously on the grounds that he had no license and the fact that he had never driven a car. He grumbled under his breath that he could drive anything, license or no. Dennis didn't help matters by stating that it was in a man's genetic code to be able to drive. Erica snorted indelicately and Alice rolled her eyes and told Hatter he didn't need to be caught driving without a license, no matter how good he thought he would be at it. He shrugged in resignation and pulled Alice against him in the backseat, her head cushioned on his shoulder and his arms wound around her. Despite the best of intentions, they were both asleep within minutes.

It was dark outside when Hatter awoke, and Dennis was driving again. Erica and Dennis were talking quietly, their voices low so as not to wake the sleeping couple in the back seat. Hatter shifted to try to ease the crick in his neck and Alice started awake. She blinked up at him blearily, obviously confused. He stroked her hair soothingly and shifted to sit straight up, wincing at the stiffness from sitting in one position for too long.

"How long have we been out?" he asked.

Dennis' deep baritone laugh answered him. "We have an hour to go. Sleep well?"

"Uhhmmf. Sort of," he answered, rubbing at his neck.

Alice swatted his hand away and began kneading the muscles of his neck. He tried not to drool or make any noises that might alarm the couple in the front seat. A few minutes later he traded off with Alice; he knew if he was sore than she surely was. Hatter chatted with Dennis and Erica as they drove the final distance home, sounding as if _he_ were the one that had known them both for years instead of her. He truly had a gift for conversation; Alice always felt like she had an abundance of awkward silences when she was speaking with anyone other than her closest friends… and sometimes with them, too. Hatter had to use his 'I'm from a very remote, very small village' excuse a few times, but he kept the conversation flowing the entire rest of the trip.

It made Alice happy that Hatter genuinely liked both Erica and Dennis. She knew him well enough to know the difference, despite how good Hatter was at concealing his innermost thoughts. He had come to view Erica as a little sister; and like any good big brother he had been infuriated to see the large purple bruise on her eye. He'd had to wait his turn, though. Dennis was ready to go find someone to blame so he could crush them like a bug. Face shots were not allowed, and Alice was convinced that the strike to her friend's face was no accident. It was unsportsmanlike, but competitors had been known to pull tricks like that to win. Indeed, Erica had lost the bout because her eye was watering so much that she couldn't see. Her opponent hadn't even got a penalty.

Erica had insisted she was fine, and she would rather just let it go. Hatter and Dennis had traded a dark look between them, but had accepted her wishes. Alice was willing to bet that the committee that put together the tournament would hear about the incident, regardless. She was determined to make it happen; she'd made no such promises to let the incident go unpunished. If Dennis didn't make the call, she would.

* * *

Alice sighed happily, thrilled to be back in her little home above the tea shop with her fiancé and her bed, she had already gotten a massage, and Hatter was making his way to the kitchen to put on the water for tea. All her desires granted, she could hardly ask for more. She changed into one of Hatter's t-shirts that she liked to sleep in and settled down in the bed. She wanted to stretch out while they drank their tea; she didn't think that Hatter would object.

He came in a few moments later and wordlessly handed her a steaming cup of tea. His eyes traveled down the line of her body, lingering on her exposed legs. He placed his cup on the nightstand and started to unbutton his black waistcoat. She watched him, a smile playing on her lips. He raised an eyebrow and started unbuttoning his silk forest green and maroon paisley shirt, keeping his eyes locked on hers. He let the fabric slip from his shoulders and unfastened his belt; Alice's breath hitched despite her attempt at playing unimpressed. She couldn't help it when he looked at her like that, his dark eyes burning intensely. She had seen that look on his face before, and she knew what it promised.

Hatter stepped out of his trousers and slipped in between the sheets. He picked up his tea and took a sip, smirking at Alice's expression. She raised her eyebrows at him in challenge and slipped her hand onto his leg. Two could play at this game. She began their nightly question game as she traced circles on the sensitive soft skin of his inner thigh.

"Name one thing you are bad at," Alice began.

Hatter cleared his throat and tried to compose his thoughts.

"Um. I don't sing very well," He said, and he was proud of how even his voice sounded.

Alice laughed softly; he wasn't fooling her.

"Do you hate anything about your job?" he asked, his voice drawn tight as her soft hands petted him.

"Besides the fact that it took me away from you?" she queried.

Hatter nodded, no longer trusting his voice to speak.

"Dealing with the hurt egos," she admitted.

He closed his eyes and swallowed, "A lot of that in the dojo?"

"Mmmhmm. Sometimes," she replied softly.

Her fingers were brushing his hipbone and lower stomach; he didn't know how much longer he could keep control of himself. He _needed_ to touch her. The all too brief heated kisses they had shared in Alice's hotel room had done little to satiate his needs. Surrounded by her touch and scent, he suddenly felt stupid for beginning this tease between them. Time to end it.

"I'm also not very patient…" he murmured, his voice gone deep and raspy.

TBC

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A/N: Please take a sec to review? Feed thy muse? Help motivate her?

**So there IS action coming up, I swear it (and soon). That was part of what was taking me so long on this chapter, I kept seeing what was going to happen later. Gah! Despite the lack of action, I hoped you liked this. We needed to give them a bit of a breather anyway… they're going to need it soon.**

**And the hotel room? I've stayed there. *shudders***

Missing Reel? Yep! It's called 'Miss Me?' www. fanfiction. net/s/6124541/1/Miss_Me_A_Forever_Missing_Reel (Just take out the spaces)


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I wrote hard to try to get ya'll something before I went on 'vacation' to my in-laws for 10 days. I leave tomorrow afternoon and I'll be back the 22****nd****. Eeep. Six adults, six kids, one house. Have computer, but suffice to say updates might be slow. I'll try my hardest for ya'll.**

**Okay so I'm dying to know what you think of this chapter… little change of pace. And those of you that reviewed last chap…thanks so much! I love ya! Oh, and I published a Missing Reel for last chapter titled 'Miss Me?', if you are into that sort o' thing. **

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Chapter 16

Hatter and Alice sank back into normal life again during the next couple of weeks after her return. Hatter had broken down and asked Erica to computerize the tea shop's books for him, and he found that it did save him a lot of time. He still kept his paper books as matter of habit, but he didn't need to spend the same amount of time with them that he did before. Ryan had grown on him somewhat; his laziness was usually due to him not understanding what he should be doing rather than a true fault in character, as far as he could tell.

The young man had a tendency to lose track of what he was doing on occasion, and Hatter still had a difficult time reading him, but he was willing to accept a certain degree of dissatisfaction with him. After all, he'd been able to spend a few extra hours a night with Alice now, and he'd even been able to switch morning martial arts classes for evening ones again. That alone made him more willing to tolerate his idiosyncrasies.

Unfortunately they had to wait to go wedding dress shopping until the next Saturday after their return. Hatter had been a bit stunned to learn he would need to book an appointment to look at dresses at some of the more upscale boutiques. The same was true of his suit fitting. Hatter hated to have any further delays, but he had done some preliminary shopping unbeknownst to Alice and had failed to see anything in the typical wedding shops that would suit what he had envisioned.

He had conspired with Carol to book an appointment at a shop that had, or could get, just about any dress available. Carol had been taken aback when he said he was going to be coming along to help Alice pick out her dress, but she knew Hatter's customs were bound to be different than their own. He let her assume that, but it was a Hatterism, not a Wonderlandism. The tradition of the groom not seeing the wedding dress on the bride was the same in his world. Hatter was not one to bow to convention, in his world or in hers… especially when it came to his Alice.

Sensei Lim had gone on a well deserved vacation after the tournament, which meant that Hatter testing for his next belt had also been put on hold temporarily. He was eager to progress, but he was still a little apprehensive about what that would mean for him. He didn't relish the thought of someone trying to break him down, and he knew for a fact that Sensei would see straight through him if he tried to fake it. Alice assured him that all he needed to do was to show all that he had learned, and to not get frustrated and he would sail through. Hatter wasn't convinced.

* * *

Hatter's court date was looming over them still, and growing closer with each passing day. Their wedding no longer assured a place for him in Alice's world in her mind, and the thought that the life they had built here together would be uprooted was devastating. Alice had little faith in the court system; she knew it would be far easier to just throw him out of the country rather than commit someone to check up on them over the course of the next two years. Alice had decided that she would pin him down and demand that they go back to Wonderland and make Jack fix it.

She waited until after they had had their dinner and were relaxing for the evening. Alice didn't have class the next morning, and Hatter could go in later now that the mornings were covered at the tea shop. They could stay up as late as they had to, and Alice had decided that she was not giving up until he gave in. Knowing Hatter, it might be a long night. She hated to fight with him, but she felt that this was important enough to fight over. She sighed and untangled herself from the warm security of his arms and turned to face him on the couch. This wouldn't be easy.

"Hatter… we need to talk about something important," she began.

His brows drew together, creating a familiar crease between them. His dark eyes searched hers for a clue as to what could be bothering her. Nothing bad had happened that he knew of.

"Okay," he nodded, bemused.

"I think we need to get Jack to fix your records," Alice stated.

Hatter's eyes narrowed, "And how do you propose we do that?" he asked carefully.

He would wait before he reacted. Maybe she had thought of a way to do it from this side. For all he knew Jack had given her contact information of some kind. She had already heard why he wouldn't go back there, and she had agreed that it was too dangerous. At least, he had _thought_ she had agreed.

"I go back to Wonderland and make him. He owes me his crown, Hatter. Do you honestly think he would ever hurt me?" she argued.

"Yes. I do! And are you completely mad Alice? You think I should let you do this alone?" Hatter cried, his voice raising an octave.

Alice winced at his vehemence. No, this wouldn't be easy. She let the words 'let you' go, but she couldn't supress her glare at the implication.

"Then come with me," she countered.

"I like my head where it is, thank you. Jack will have me killed for how I embarrassed him. It would be seen as a fatal weakness if he let me live," Hatter explained.

"I think you are being a little overly dramatic," Alice argued.

Hatter shook his head in the negative, and then stood up and began to pace, searching for the words he needed to make her understand.

"No. I'm not. Look… you don't understand how vicious Wonderland politics can be. Any sign of weakness from the crown and another suit will pounce, claiming that the other house was too unstable to hold power," he explained.

At Alice's look of blatant disbelief, he continued, "Jack _is_ probably the best king for Wonderland, especially considering what I know of the other houses… and he will do whatever it takes to stay that way."

Hatter could plainly see that Alice didn't understand. She'd not believe that her ex-boyfriend was as cold and ruthless as Hatter knew him to be. Jack probably would not hurt Alice unless he had no other choice, but it was the 'unless' that he was worried about. A little outside manipulation and Alice could be painted as a traitor or a spy or worse… and she wasn't used to machinations and manipulations of the court. Wonderland was no place for her, she couldn't even lie properly.

She may actually be able to convince Jack to fix his records as long as she didn't go in guns blazing and making demands, but knowing Alice, she would. Let her go to Wonderland without him? No. Just… no. He had far too many enemies, Jack had far too many enemies, and Alice herself had likely gathered more than a few. Anything could happen to her there, and he would be powerless to stop it. No. There was no way he could stomach her going there alone. No. Unacceptable.

"He wouldn't. You have him wrong," Alice argued, her own voice growing louder as she stood to face him, blocking his path.

He threw up his hands in frustration, "No, Alice. No. It is too dangerous."

Alice's jaw jutted forward and her mouth hardened. The soft stormy blue of her eyes glinted like steel. That was absolutely the wrong tactic to take with her. He thought frantically, searching for some line of reasoning to sway her.

"You said we would wait for the court's decision," he argued desperately.

"That will be too late!" Alice rebutted.

Hatter gripped her upper arms and stared into her eyes, "Please, Alice. Please. Trust me on this, yeah? It is far too dangerous. I'll take me chances with the law."

She shook him off angrily and turned her back on him.

"Alice…" he pleaded.

He couldn't stand it when she turned away from him… it stung. He was trying to protect her; why could she not see that?

"No! Why don't you try trusting me for once?" she replied heatedly.

Hatter flinched, hurt at the implication that she didn't think he trusted her. He did, but she just did not have all of the necessary facts.

"I do trust ya, more than anything… believe me. You don't understand how dangerous it would be," he implored.

Alice wouldn't be moved. He was afraid that she would do something stupid and go on her own, and then he would be completely helpless to do anything but follow. It was a sure recipe for disaster, and one he was all too familiar with. At least he could be fairly certain she couldn't get back without him. He was going to have to give her _something, _some sort of compromise_._ He sighed deeply, unhappy that he had to make a promise he wasn't entirely sure he could keep. He put his body in front of hers and grabbed hold of her once again.

"I have time. I get an appeal if they decide against me. We can go to Wonderland and try your way if the decision is made to deport me. If Jack could make all the papers I needed, he can surely cope with the court. If they find me records, they have no cause to deport me. Please, Alice. Let's give this a chance first, yeah?" he begged.

Alice looked up into his face, saw the desperate worry written there and nodded, finally. She would rather not wait for the court's decision, but getting Hatter to agree was worth the compromise. She didn't want to try the journey to Wonderland without his aid, but she would have. She'd rather not have to take her chances that the mirror would open for her; Jack had likely closed it down tight by now.

Alice stepped into Hatter's arms and let him hold her to him.

Of course, there was another way… she had almost forgotten about it. She had found the small fragment of rock with a sliver of what looked like a piece of black quartz running through it in the bottom of her boot just a few days ago. It was good for a one person one way trip to or from Wonderland, so she had discounted it an next to useless and had put it from her mind. Jack had pressed it into her hand before she left. He said it was hers for what she had done for them all. She had slipped the small rock into the toe of her boot and had almost immediately forgotten about it. Her mind had been on Hatter.

They had been separated after she had taken the stone of Wonderland from the Queen, and she was distracted. She had it in her mind that he was coming with her. He had planned to, and he had just changed his mind out of a sense of duty to his people. They were free now, so surely he would still go with her? Before she knew it, it was time to go. He was supposed to meet up with her by the mirror. She supposed she would have her answer soon.

She was surprised to see Jack again in the Hall of the Mirror; she had thought they had said their goodbyes. Then Jack had offered her more than a little stone… he offered her the crown and the Stone of Wonderland itself. She had been even more sure she had made the right decision by turning him down when she'd seen Hatter again. He had run up to her at the end, and she had been so relieved to see him… but then he had said that he had just come to say goodbye. She'd felt stupid. He had no reason to leave, now. She couldn't help but throw out a line to him though… in the hope that he might reach hold of it. The little stone was insignificant next to all that.

Jack's offering might have even been thrown away if she hadn't realized that the rock in her now well worn pair of boots held a fragment of the mother stone. Her boots had become so scuffed that she hadn't worn them since she returned from Wonderland. She had tried them on once more before storing them in the back of her closet permanently; she had been about to throw them out, but she couldn't bring herself to throw them away. She had felt the stone under the arch of her foot and it had triggered the memory of Jack's parting gift to her. She left the rock in her boot. It was as good a place as any. She told herself she wasn't hiding it.

She had a way back to Wonderland. She didn't want to go without Hatter, but having the ability to do so gave her an option she hadn't had before. It didn't matter, she told herself resolutely. He had agreed to take her if the court decision didn't go their way. She felt a little bit guilty about hiding the fragment from him; Hatter should know she had it. She didn't want him to think she had hidden it from him all this time, but was exactly what it would look like to her. She wondered if it had been a subconscious thing… suppressing the memory so she wouldn't have to tell him about it.

"Promise me you'll not try and go on your own?" he asked softly, startling her out of her reverie.

"How would I get there?" she replied.

He laughed shortly, "Yeah. I suppose."

Guilt filled her at his easy acceptance. He hadn't even pressed the issue. _I can't _do_ this, _she thought. It was wrong to lie to him like this. He didn't deserve it. She could tell him; she had already decided she wouldn't sneak away on him again. She had promised.

"Hatter… I have a way back, but I promise I won't go without you," she whispered against his chest.

He stiffened against her, pulled back to see her face, "What?"

She told him about Jack passing the stone to her in his chambers while she waited for the looking glass to be ready to be opened. Hatter seemed affronted at the mention of her being in Jack's chambers, but it had been a matter of security. She needed somewhere to wash up and to wait for the portal to be ready, and Jack could be fairly sure his rooms would be safest. Hatter gave her his 'I smell bullshit' furrowed brow and she rolled her eyes.

"He gave you a transport talisman? I didn't know there were any left," he replied.

Alice shrugged, "There is at least one."

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked, his hurt transparent in his voice.

"Well… I sort of just found it again. I forgot he gave it to me," she explained.

"You _forgot_ you had been given a transport talisman? Really?" he asked incredulously.

"It's one person and one way and it still uses the mirror. It's not that helpful. I had other things on my mind at the time," she defended.

He sighed, exasperated and shook his head, "It is second in value to the stone itself, Alice. It's a big deal. It could buy nearly anything in Wonderland, especially with them being so rare now."

"So. I'm not there," she countered, not impressed.

"It might buy us more options, if it came to that. We go in by rabbit hole, and use it to barter with. Might be able to avoid Jack altogether," he expounded.

"Ah. Does this mean you have changed your mind about waiting to go back?" she asked.

"Hell, no. It is just good to have another card up your sleeve, yeah?" he replied with a small grin, his dimple flashing at her briefly.

Alice told him where the stone was hidden, relieved that the burden of hiding it from him was gone. He had thanked her for telling him, and he hadn't even doubted her for a second when she told him she just realized she had the stone. Hatter continually amazed her; for a person with such a hard and violent upbringing, he had a good and pure heart filled with love. Unwavering and true, he believed in her… believed in them. She had no idea how she had gotten so lucky.

* * *

The following day, Hatter cloistered himself away in his office to tally his books. He had noticed something was a little off, but the software Erica installed for him insisted that all the money was accounted for. He wanted to check them manually, just to be sure that everything was truly accurate. So far, he had found a number of inconsistencies, but the only way for that to have happened would be for someone to go into the database and adjust the numbers to hide the discrepancies. Hatter checked his numbers again and again, but he found the same thing. Someone had been stealing from the shop.

Hatter felt the old familiar rage burning in his veins and worked to tamp it down. The idea that he was being taken advantage of infuriated him. Someone had tried to take what was _his._ What _he_ had worked for. His jaw clenched and a growl of fury escaped him. Just at that moment, Ryan walked by his open office door and paused.

"Everything alright?" Ryan asked, taking in the tally sheets, calculator, and old fashioned record books.

Hatter smoothly pulled on a mask of calm indifference, "Yeah. Need summat?"

"Actually I needed to talk with you before you leave. I know you are busy… what are you working on?" Ryan asked curiously.

Hatter blinked, the only sign of his intense irritation at Ryan's perpetual inquisitiveness, "Nothin' serious. Inventory. Let's go up front, yeah? Won't do to keep customers waiting."

Ryan _did_ have a customer waiting. Hatter sighed and took care of her himself, pouring on an extra measure of charm and even throwing in a gratuitous hat trick to help make up for having to wait. The customers loved the hat tricks.

After she was taken care of, Hatter turned back to Ryan. He was about to step out for the evening and tonight he was even more eager to get to class. He'd like to punch something, and then he wanted to bounce his discovery of thievery off of Alice. He held his anger and his suspicions wrapped up tightly within him. He would have to be sure before he acted.

"What is it?" he asked Ryan.

"I hate to have to bring this up at all… but I saw Erica taking money from the register and putting it in her purse. I just felt you should know," Ryan confessed.

"Thank you. I trust you will tell me straight away if you see it again?" he replied evenly.

"Yes. No problem. I know she's Alice's friend. I'm sorry," Ryan offered.

Hatter nodded, "I appreciate it."

Hatter fought back a fresh surge of anger. Ryan had to know that Erica didn't have money to spare right now, but was he sincere? Most times he could look at a person and know, but Ryan remained an enigma. Was he just trying to keep the blame off of himself, or had he actually seen Erica take money? Hatter couldn't fathom the thought that Erica would ever steal from him, but he had been wrong before. _And_ she had ready access to his books. No one had any idea he maintained a paper version; without it he might not have ever missed the theft.

He knew what it was like to be poor. He knew it made you do things you never thought you would out of pure desperation and need. He'd stolen from a friend once when he'd been hungry. He was still ashamed to this day, and he had repaid it… but the fact remained that he had done it to begin with. She would have surely told him if she was that bad off… would she not? He _hated_ that he doubted her. Hatter despised deception, despite his proficiency at it. He'd had to live his life mired in it for too long, and he was done with it… or so he thought.

He owed Erica a chance to explain, he knew that much for certain. The accusation might ruin their friendship, and quite possibly her friendship with Alice as well. He could only hope she would understand. On second thought, he wouldn't bring this up with Alice just yet.

TBC

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A/N: So what did you think? Yep… we are starting to get down in it. *grins* Betcha can't guess all the convolutions of this one.

**I sure hope ya'll liked this… please do review? My muse will be in desperate need of inspiration. Trust me. **

**Oh, and here is why it was important to understand that Hatter believes Jack to be capable of anything… **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Home! I'm home! Well, I hope this chapter was worth the wait… I'm a bit nervous about it. And holy freaking big-ass chapter Batman! Wow, it grew! I could make two chapters... nah. Enjoy.**

**Those of you that have reviewed…thank you so much! May you have a wet and shirtless Hatter as a gift of thanks. (Hair all disheveled… oooh where is that drop of water headed to?) **

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Chapter 17

Hatter came in early so that he could catch James while he was still in the shop. He wanted to talk to Erica uninterrupted, and he didn't want to tell Alice about Ryan's accusation, so James was his only other option. James agreed to stay over for as long as it took; now all he had to do was to fortify himself for accusing his fiancée's best friend of stealing from them. Asking her, he amended. He was just going to ask her, and then he could be certain.

Last night had been rough. Class had helped burn off some of the anger and frustration, but not all of it. Hatter hated keeping secrets from Alice; it always felt vaguely like lying to her. He had worked entirely too hard to earn her trust to just throw it away, and he might as well do just that if he ever lied to her again. Withholding information was the barest step above lying, and he knew she would see it that way as well. Not only did he have to conceal the theft from the shop that they shared ownership of, but he also had to hide that one of the potential thieves was Erica. Could be Erica, he corrected. He'd not wanted to believe it of her, but there was enough of a niggling doubt for him to need to ask the question.

Adding to the oppressive weight he'd already felt pressing down on his shoulders, he'd also had to deal with the bombshell of Alice having a transport stone. The idea of Alice having such a valuable object had chilled him to his very bones, but at least it had negligible appeal in her world. In his, she would have been an instant target. Alice had sworn that she hadn't hidden the stone from him, and he _had_ to believe her, as difficult as it was to imagine that she could forget something like that. To not believe her, and the implications that particular train of thought raised… well, it would have shattered him completely; he'd not even wanted to think on it too deeply. She had told him about it in the end; if she said she had forgotten about it, then he would believe her.

It had terrified Hatter to think that Alice had the ability to go to Wonderland on her own; she was stubborn and hardheaded. He would have to make good on his promise to take her back now, or he knew she would feel she had the right to go on her own. It was almost a relief, in a way. He'd had no idea how he was going to be able to wriggle out of the promise… he'd mostly hoped he wouldn't have to.

Erica had reassured him repeatedly that their situation wasn't uncommon, and he was a likely candidate for citizenship. He hoped so, because he still believed that that would mean a death sentence for them both to go back to Wonderland, but the stone _did_ give them a few more options. No matter how little he liked it, it did give them a chance.

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Alice had known that something was bothering Hatter last night, but he had stubbornly refused to explain what it was. She wondered if he had been having more problems with Ryan at the tea shop, but she didn't know why he wouldn't discuss _that_ with her. She knew he wouldn't lie to her, but that didn't mean that her always told her everything. Hatter was her match in obstinacy; if he said he wasn't talking, he wasn't. It was infuriating in the truest sense of the word, but as much as she loved him… that was just _Hatter _and sometimes he had that effect on her.

In the dojo, he had been focused and quiet, and he had thrown himself into the class with a fervor and intensity that was vaguely frightening. Alice was forcibly reminded why Hatter had commanded a certain amount of fear and respect in Wonderland. He was brilliant, funny and charming with his customers, and all of the above plus sweet and loving with her; she forgot sometimes that this hardened dangerous edge she so rarely glimpsed was just as much a part of him as the rest. She recognized the same degree of intensity in the cop students sometimes, usually she chalked it up to a very bad day at work spent seeing things they'd rather not. She figured Hatter's life had been a lot like that, from what she knew of it.

Alice had needled him again after class about what was bothering him, but the best he gave her was that he would tell her about it later. He had turned those big dark eyes on her pleadingly and asked her to please let it be, and she hated to admit it, but she found it hard to refuse him anything when he turned the full force of that _look_ on her. He so rarely asked anything of her either… she found herself agreeing before she knew it. There was more to trust sometimes than what was said… sometimes it was what was allowed to be left unsaid.

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Hatter watched Erica work, waiting for the right moment, he told himself. She was acting normally; he'd not discerned any sort of change in her, or guilt, or fear. He thought back to a few weeks back; she _had _been acting strangely for a while. He'd still never discovered why. He wondered again if his people sense was failing him, because it told him plainly that Erica was honest and open. He waited a little longer, giving himself more time to watch. No. A lie. He was lying to himself, and not even doing a passable job at it. Procrastinating was what he was doing. He had faced down things in his life that would make others faint dead away in fear, but this conversation still went directly to the top of his list of 'things he never wanted to do.'

Erica was wearing a bright red newsboy cap over her tightly braided hair today, and if anything, she seemed more cheerful than usual. The tea shop wouldn't be the same without her bright smile, he mused. She had gathered her own following of customers largely due to her sunny personality, and they asked after her when she wasn't in. Erica had grown quite knowledgeable about tea, and he had felt safe leaving the tea shop in her capable care during her shift. If it was her… no… he wouldn't think on it. He was just going to ask. He sighed deeply and nodded to James to signal that he was going to be occupied.

"Erica, do you have a moment?" he asked pleasantly.

"Sure!" she chirped, and followed him back to his office.

He sat on the corner chair on the front side of the desk, and waited for her to take the seat opposite. He wanted to avoid any appearance that he was talking to her as a boss to an employee. She waited curiously, but not uncomfortably; they had many conversations much like this one while Erica was setting up his bookkeeping program. He _liked_ Erica… this was a horrid feeling, but the sooner he started, the sooner it was over. He _really_ wanted it to be over.

"I'm having some trouble with the program you set up for me," he began, flipping his hat from his head and twirling it between his hands.

Erica's brow furrowed. "Really? I made it super easy. What sort of trouble?"

"The numbers don't match what I found by doing the books by hand. How could that have happened?" he asked carefully, watching her for tells.

"The only way is if the numbers were entered wrong… or adjusted after. It has a check built in for that though. It shouldn't happen. I built the program, and it is a good one," she explained matter-of-factly.

He nodded and sent out a silent plea for forgiveness to Alice. She would be furious that he had even thought of accusing Erica, and when Alice was angry, Alice _stayed_ angry. Erica let out an appreciative gasp as his porkpie did a particularly impressive flip and twist. Hatter mad a conscious effort to still himself, despite how twitchy and anxious he felt. He surreptitiously took a deep breath in and blew it out slowly, not wanting to give further evidence of his unease. Maintaining the appearance of confidence was important when doing these things, he told himself. No… he was not liking this one little bit.

"Erica… money is missing, and someone has made the bookkeeping program cover it up," Hatter said, as gently as he was able to.

"_My_ program?" Erica clarified.

"Yeah," he replied quietly.

Understanding dawned behind her bright blue eyes as stunned hurt and horror flowed across her face. She knew what he was about to ask, the sick realization was plain to see, as was the hope that he wouldn't do it. He hated to ask… had to. He had to, but he would do it as easily as he could.

"Erica… I know you would never steal from Alice… or from me, right? Did you take the money?" he asked, his dark eyes grave.

Tears welled up almost instantly in Erica's eyes and Hatter _knew_. Erica would never do such a thing, no matter how desperate she became. She shamed him… she was a truly good person and he had wounded her deeply. More than that, she had become a friend, and _that _was a precious commodity to him, now that he knew what it was like to have real friends. It made him sick to think he had doubted her… and angry at the person that had planted the seed of doubt. He pushed away the fury rising in him, there would be a time for it, but it wasn't now.

"No. No! I would never, ever, do that!" Erica replied, her voice broken.

"No, I don't suppose you would. I'm sorry I even had to ask," he replied, awkwardly reaching out to pat her shoulder.

"I saw you punch a hole through that dumpster… through it! And I _never said anything_. I looked at your records… and I _never said a word about what I found_. I know you aren't… _normal, _not _exactly_… but I don't care, because I thought you were my _friend_. I even…" she hiccupped, and Hatter couldn't make out the rest.

"Do you even know what that _means?_" she cried, heartbroken at the thought that this man she had come to like and admire immensely had believed that she could ever betray him.

"I'm sorry! I am, and I am your friend still, if you'll have me. I believe you, okay? I just had to ask for meself," he soothed. "And about what you saw-"

"You do? You believe me?" She interrupted tearfully.

"Yes, of course I do," Hatter insisted. "We're mates still, yeah?"

Before he knew how it happened, Erica was hugging him, sobbing uncontrollably. He hugged her back tentatively and fumbled in his coat pocket for his mobile. He flicked it open and sent Alice an urgent text message; "GET HERE NOW!" Once he'd gotten the hang of it, text messaging was ridiculously easy for his dexterous fingers. He was usually able to send messages without even looking at the phone. It was a skill he was exceptionally delighted to posses at the moment.

He comforted his armful of Erica as best he could, but even if she was blindingly angry, he wanted Alice down here straight away. She would best know how to handle this… but he certainly hoped his understanding about the transport stone would buy him a little bit of leniency on this one. Perhaps just this once? If he was calculating correctly, Alice should have just gotten finished at the dojo, and hopefully he caught her either before or just after her shower.

It was before, and Alice was not happy about it, especially when she had discovered why he had requested her presence in such a panic. She rushed into his office breathlessly, taking in the sight of the still distraught Erica in her fiancé's arms, and the chagrined yet desperately uncomfortable look on his face. She glared at him briefly and took over hugging Erica. When she asked her what was wrong, Erica burst out in fresh tears. Hatter edged over to the doorway and Alice back kicked the door shut and shot him another venomous glare. _Ouch_, he thought as he sat back down obediently, hands raised defensively.

Hatter began to explain, feeling about a centimeter high as he detailed the cause for Erica's distress.

"And I had to be sure… so I asked," he finished lamely.

"You could have asked me," Alice replied coldly.

"No. I had to ask her meself, or there would have been some doubt. You would feel the same, Alice, so don't look at me like that, yeah?" he countered defensively.

"Don't be mad at him… it's okay. I had the motive and it's my program so I understand why he thought it might be me," Erica defended, dashing away the last remnants of her tears.

Now Hatter felt even _worse_, although he was appreciative of the sentiment. He needed all the help that he could get. _Gah!_ Alice could stay angry for days; this could be unpleasant.

Alice was furious that Hatter had done this without speaking to her, but she was more furious at herself for immediately understanding why he had. She didn't want to understand it, or accept it, or forgive him so easily. She certainly didn't want to turn into one of those pushover women she had always scorned for their weakness. Misery was etched deeply into his expressive face, his eyes darted from her to Erica and back again. It had been hard for him to accuse her, she could see that plainly.

"Erica, can you help me get some sort of evidence?" Hatter asked finally, hoping the change in subject would deflect some of Alice's ire.

He could see Erica calculating, and he instinctively knew that this would demonstrate for her beyond question that he _did_ believe her. Alice picked up on it as well, and shot him a grateful glance. He gave a half shrug and she smirked and lifted a shoulder in response. They were okay; he felt a weight lift from him he hadn't even realized was there. He was so wrapped up in Alice that he thought himself ridiculous sometimes, but the fact of it was that now that he had finally won her, he was determined to keep her by whatever means necessary. For him, that meant keeping her happy and safe… not an easy task sometimes. Sometimes the two were mutually exclusive. She drove him mad, but he loved her completely.

"What exactly did you have in mind?" Erica asked slowly.

"Can you show that it was Ryan that changed the numbers?" he asked.

"Ryan? Are you sure?" Erica replied uncertainly, but Alice was already nodding in agreement.

"He said that he saw you taking money from the register. My bet is that he saw me checking the books and knew I was about to suss him out so he accused you. I always thought there was something off about him." He mused.

"I didn't much trust him either," Alice added.

"Then why?" they both asked simultaneously.

"Less hours… I wanted more time with you. And no more morning classes," Hatter admitted.

Alice shook her head ruefully, "Same… well except for the morning classes part of it."

"Well then, Erica? What are our options?" Hatter queried with a feral grin.

"Well the computer portion is easy, and you already have the security cameras. You just need to leave them on," she replied.

"Yeah, but I don't want to clue him in, and he shuts them off before he closes up; I want to catch him red handed. Can you make it still record even after he shuts it off?" Hatter asked curiously.

"Yeah, easy. Short the switch. I just need to jump the terminals with a piece of wire and it'll be always on. Kid stuff," Erica bragged.

"And you can route it up to our flat?" he asked for clarification.

"Hmm." she said, casting her eyes to the ceiling as she thought about the difficulty of getting the signal to their television. "Should be no problem. Today?" she offered.

Hatter's eyes darkened ominously, "Yes, that would be best."

Alice eyed Hatter, noting the seething anger and betrayal he was attempting to suppress. He had taken a chance on Ryan because the man had needed someone to cut him a break, and against his better judgment he had hired him. He had let his desire to spend more time with Alice blind him to all the little signs that should have tipped him off that Ryan couldn't be trusted. He _always_ trusted his gut, and yet he had ignored it. He felt stupid and vulnerable and like he had been used, emotions he was not accustomed to feeling… at least, not anymore.

Erica spent the rest of her shift running wire for the cameras and pulling up data from her program to print out for Hatter to use as tangible proof. He was right, Erica discovered in short order. All of the changed data occurred while Ryan was on duty. Erica couldn't fathom that Ryan could betray Hatter after what he had done for him. He'd even fronted him his first paycheck, and kept him on despite Ryan's seeming inability to pick up on the intricacies of the shop. She suspected that Hatter had been deeply hurt by the theft; his normally mobile face had gone still and empty when he spoke of it. Erica had never seen Hatter like this, and it made her doubly glad that he had believed her; she could not have borne it if he hadn't.

Hatter thought that Ryan would have thought twice about mucking with his books if he would have known that Erica was the one that built the bookkeeping program. He'd kept that little tidbit of information secret for a reason, just as he had kept his other set of books secret. Old habits died hard, and he was not one to trust easily. He did feel somewhat mollified that Erica was in the clear; it seemed his people sense was still operating efficiently, even if his brain was not. He stayed busy until it was time for Ryan to come in; it was best not to think on it until then.

Hatter centered himself as Ryan walked through the door to _Specialty Teas and Imports_; the charming mask sliding on easily. He'd staked his life on his ability to play both sides of the court and hide his true emotions, next to that, this was easy. He smiled at Ryan and gave him a brief turnover before he retired to the back room to blend his tea special for tomorrow. He spun Ryan a story about wanting to give Erica another chance, telling him that he thought her theft was likely a one-time bad decision. He studied Ryan, convinced that he had swallowed down the bait.

He had enough varieties of tea blends so that he no longer had to create a new one every day, but when he had something on his mind, this was often the best form of therapy for him. He worked on it most of the evening, biding his time. Alice had a class to teach, and tonight he was glad of it. She had offered to get someone to cover her, but Hatter didn't want her here for this. Not this time.

He bade Ryan good evening and headed up to his flat to watch and wait. Ryan was keenly aware of the camera over his shoulder; Hatter could tell by the scrupulously polite way he treated customers at the register. Hatter poured himself a cup of tea and put his boots up on the table in front of the couch. Ryan was due to close shortly, and he usually flicked off the record button shortly before he turned the door sign to closed.

Hatter smiled thinly as Ryan went to turn the recorder off, and his demeanor altered. Good. He believed he was off camera. Hatter watched in disbelief as Ryan actually refused service to a customer, stating they were closed. Hatter looked to the clock and saw that it was a full twenty minutes before closing time. He shook his head in disbelief, the businessman in him automatically calculating the amount of customers he had probably lost since Ryan began closing for him. That alone was adequate grounds to fire the wanker.

He shook that off and paid close attention to Ryan's hands as he withdrew the cash drawer and set it in front of him. He counted out a stack of cash and stuffed it in his pocket before he logged into the database and reported substantially less that the shop had drawn in. The camera was aimed directly at the screen; Hatter saw it all.

He saw red, fury building and churning inside of him. He paused for a moment and collected his thoughts, straightening the brim of his hat where he had crushed it in his fist. He made his way down the stairs and into the back door of the tea shop, moving silently to the front room. He crossed his arms and leaned casually against the door fame, outwardly cool and calm.

"Now then… how long have ya been filching from the register?" Hatter asked evenly.

Ryan started and spun to face Hatter, blood draining from his face, "I… I haven't. I didn't steal anything. Did Erica try to tell you it was me? It figures you'd believe her… the little bitch has been robbing you blind."

Hatter had planned to do this nice and easy. He would find out why Ryan had stolen from him, and then he would fire him. He'd not let his anger get the best of him, even though the tingling and burning in his right fist told him otherwise. Hatter growled low in his throat and stalked towards Ryan, stopping inches from him. So much for planning; he'd always been more for spontaneity anyway.

"You're caught, and I suggest ya keep your gob shut about Erica," Hatter replied, his words low and menacing, "Now empty your pockets and tell me why you have stolen nearly four thousand dollars from me."

"I needed the money," Ryan replied softly, pulling the money from his pocket and setting it on the counter.

"Why!" Hatter demanded through gritted teeth, fisting his hand in Ryan's shirt collar and pushing him back against the wall.

"I know a guy who can take me back… for a price. I tried to get you to just tell me how, but you wouldn't." Ryan answered calmly.

"Who? Who is it? And why the hell do you want to go back so badly?" Hatter interrogated.

"I don't know. He said it was safer if I didn't know his name. I have to go back… they took them from me and I need it. I need it. Please! Take me back?" Ryan pleaded, some form of emotion showing for the first time.

Hatter knew he didn't have the same reputation here as he held in Wonderland, but he expected a _little_ bit more of a response from someone he was threatening. Hatter _looked_ into Ryan and realized what it was that he had overlooked. Ryan was missing pieces of himself; no wonder he'd been nearly impossible to read. He'd been drained to the point of instability, and there was no telling what exactly had been taken. It must be something that would still allow him to function almost normally… regardless, he'd been drained until he was mad, and from the sound of it he had somehow become addicted to emotion tea as a way to fill the void within him. How the hell had _that_ happened?

"No. You'll leave here and never come back. You will give up trying to go back to Wonderland; you don't belong there. If I see you near me, near Alice, or this shop… I will make you regret it. Do you understand me?" Hatter threatened, his dark eyes flashing.

Ryan laughed, "I guess I'll have to do it the hard way. You can't be with little Alice all the time. The 'Savior of Wonderland' has got to be worth something. I _am_ going back, and an overdressed and under-classed con-man and his filthy whore aren't enough to stop me."

* * *

Alice wondered what was keeping Hatter. He always walked her home from the dojo at night, or at the least, watched for her to come out the door. She'd made it all the way to the tea shop and hadn't got a call or text from him. She peered into the darkened shop, spotted Hatter and Ryan. She got out her key and unlocked the door, her hands shaking.

Hatter held Ryan by his shirtfront, fist at his throat. His teeth were bared, veins stood out and pulsed in his neck and his deadly right fist was poised to strike.

"Hatter!" Alice called out, her sharp voice cutting through the ominous silence.

He paused, slanted his eyes in her direction. Some of the sanity returned to them as he met her gaze. He dropped his fist, used it to grab hold of Ryan's neck and bent in to speak in his ear.

"If you so much as _think_ about touching Alice, or harming her in any way… I… will… kill… you. It _will_ be slow, and it _will_ be painful. If you think she is an easy target, you are mistaken. She could take you with one arm tied behind her back… and all those stories they tell about me? They're accurate. Listen closely, because I'll only say it once. Don't fuck with me or the people I care about or you'll wish for death," he hissed, slamming the larger man's back against the wall for emphasis.

Ryan coughed and wheezed, but managed to nod. Hatter curled his lip in disgust as he spied the a large wet spot spread on Ryan's trousers; he fled as soon as Hatter released him. Hatter turned to face Alice, afraid he would see recrimination there. He needn't have worried. She just smiled gently and shook her head sadly.

"Sorry I forgot to walk you home, love. I was a bit occupied," Hatter said, his lips twitched in the briefest of smiles.

"Are you okay?" She asked, taking his hands in hers, noting that they were still shaking from the adrenaline rush.

He had been on the edge, and he'd almost fallen over it. Threatening Alice was the worst possible trigger with him. Hatter couldn't shake the feeling that he hadn't seen the end of Ryan, but short of making good on his threat to him, he didn't know what else he could do.

Hatter nodded slowly, "Will be, anyway. Let's go home, yeah?"

TBC

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A/N: So what did you think? *bites nails* Okay, so yeah, Erica was innocent… but I made you worry, didn't I? And if you think you know exactly where this is headed, I think you may be in for a few twisties. Sneaky me. Just have to read and see. Oh and shameless plug for muse food? Please review?

**A/A/N: Well I have been brushing up on my grammar. It seems I was using my punctuation incorrectly for my dialogue, so for those of you that this has bothered… it's fixed. I suppose I should have looked it up sooner, especially as much of a language freak that I am, but I have never written dialogue before I started writing here. Hell, I'd only written one crappy attempt at a novel. (But also loads of poetry and term papers and etc…) I'll chalk it up to needing the time to "research" by watching copious amounts of Andrew-Lee Potts films/series and watching Alice so often that my brain has become a cannon repository. I'll go back and fix chapter by chapter, but could take some time.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: That Chili Peppers song "Rollercoaster" kept going through my mind as I wrote this…I'll let you see why. And whew, another big chapter. *crosses her fingers* This one is...different. Hope you like it!**

**A big thank you to those that have stuck by me and kept on reading and reviewing! I love ya!**

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Chapter 18

Hatter had not slept well for the past several days, and the loss of his evening help meant that he was often exhausted by the end of the workday. The tea shop was prospering, but the cost of success was that there was more work to do than he could comfortably handle alone. Alice helped him lock up every evening that she could, and he'd asked Erica to completely take over the bookkeeping of the shop as a gesture of good faith (and desperate need on his part), and that had helped somewhat.

To compound his lack of sleep, or possibly as a result of it, he was on edge. He couldn't displace the sickening sense of uneasy tension and the overwhelming feeling that he should remain on constant guard. Besides the lack of sleep and an ominous feeling, he had no legitimate reason for it. It was simply a feeling. _No, a warning_, he thought.

He'd expected Ryan to pull some sort of stunt to get to Alice, but so far nothing had happened. Alice, bless her, didn't even complain when he insisted she go nowhere alone. Well, she'd not complained much. Okay, so she had, but it hadn't been very loud, anyway, and she had agreed in the end. Last night his restless dreams had been replaced with full fledged nightmares; it was the same one that he'd begun having around the time of Alice leaving for Nationals. Needles and fire in his veins, Alice crying as she was pulled away from him… pain and fear. Alice had always been able to calm him enough to chase away his nightmares, but not this time. He hadn't been able to sleep after that.

One thing was certain, something had to happen to break the tension before he cracked. He didn't understand it, and couldn't explain it. Ryan and his threats certainly didn't warrant this deep foreboding, but his gut told him something was coming. Instinct demanded him to to be wary, and to not slip for one second. He'd learned his lesson; Hatter trusted his instincts.

* * *

Alice wasn't sure what was amiss with Hatter, and he legitimately didn't seem to know either. Deep circles ringed his eyes, the exhaustion and strain etching lines into his face that she'd never noticed before. He had woken up at one-thirty in the morning screaming and thrashing; he'd been in the grip of a night terror, and she didn't think he'd ever managed to get back to sleep. He'd been on the fire escape watching the sun rise when she woke up this morning. At least he'd been wearing pants, this time.

He was supposed to take his yellow belt test today, and she knew Sensei Lim would never accept 'I didn't sleep well' as an excuse. Testing was not just to make sure that the student had the physical skills to progress to the next level, it was also a test of mental fortitude. The tests got progressively longer and harder at each successive level, but the first one usually served more as a wake-up call for new initiates to martial arts. Yellow belt was a one day test, and under normal circumstances she would think Hatter would sail through easily.

She watched him as he sliced bread and scrambled eggs for their breakfast, clad only in a pair of dark green track pants riding low on his slim hips. His hair was almost comically disarrayed, likely from his hands passing through it repeatedly all night. Ordinarily she would have warned him to eat lightly before class, but the past couple of days he'd not eaten much at all. His normal metabolism burned through calories like a furnace and he ate more in one sitting than anyone she knew… well, save for Dennis. His loss of appetite was more telling than anything else that something was desperately _wrong_ with her Hatter. She didn't know how to fix it, and it scared her.

"You can skip class," Alice offered.

Hatter turned to face her and arched an eloquent eyebrow, "Ya kiddin'?"

"No," she defended, "Why not? You only got, what? An hour and a half of sleep?"

He snorted and turned back to face the eggs, not deigning to answer.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she muttered under her breath.

She heard him make a noise of dismissal, but he didn't bother turning around. Alice shook her head; the man was entirely to stubborn for his own good. She supposed he would learn the hard way. He served her and sat down across from her to eat. After a few bites of egg and half of his fried bread he started moving food around with his fork instead of eating. Alice's brow creased in worry; this wasn't like him.

* * *

Hatter looked paler than usual in his snowy white gi, standing at attention along with the rest of her students. Sensei Lim had told Alice that she would be running the class; she would be the one testing Hatter and Kenny, another student that was ready to begin testing today. Sensei would just observe. Alice was both excited and nervous to be given this chance; ordinarily this was reserved for the most senior of black belts. Of course, Sensei would be watching the whole thing, but she desperately wanted to do it on her own without him having to step in.

She'd overheard Kenny telling Hatter before class that he was glad that he had someone testing at the same time as he was; it helped to split the attention of the instructor. She smirked at that, she might pretend to not see mistakes, but she saw them. Mistakes meant push-ups, and sometimes she 'overlooked' them when a student was struggling more than necessary. Kenny was testing for his blue belt, but the first day was very much the same despite the disparity in belt levels. She didn't foresee having any difficulty managing them at the same time. What _did_ worry her was the thought of testing Hatter.

Alice would have to put her personal feelings out of her mind and treat him as if he was just another student. They'd had no problems with this during classes thus far, but testing was, as Hatter would put it, a different kettle of onions. It didn't help matters that she knew he didn't feel well, and he looked it. His perpetual five o'clock shadow seemed darker against his pale skin, the hollows under his eyes deepened under the fluorescent lights… even his hair looked droopy today.

Alice took them through their warm-up exercises, stretches, crunches and push-ups and then dropped Hatter and Kenny for an additional set of knuckle push-ups. Just twenty for Hatter, because he was a white belt, and thirty-five for Kenny because he was three dans above him. Both men completed them easily, and both men remembered to stay in the push-up position until they were told to get up. It was a good start.

* * *

Hatter watched Alice effortlessly step into her role as instructor. She'd warned him right before class that Sensei had asked her to lead the test, and he had reassured her that he was ready. He wasn't about to try to get out of it either, no matter how poorly he'd slept. He felt like death reheated this morning, but he was actually looking forward to testing. He was tired of being a novice, and he was hoping the concentration required for this test would help to finally clear his mind and give him some temporary serenity.

Halfway through class, Hatter was wishing he had listened to Alice and stayed home. Stinging sweat ran into his eyes, his lungs burned, and it was _hard_ to concentrate. She was taking the class through every motion that he had learned in rapid succession, with no pause for breathing or for thinking in between. The only 'break' was for sets of press-ups spaced at regular intervals.

He'd made the mistake of asking her to repeat her instructions for the combination he was supposed to perform, and had got his answer for the price of twenty press-ups. Just after he had finished that set, he began to stand before he was told to get up, and he had earned twenty more… and _then_ it was time for he and Kenny to drop and give her another set.

He had lost count at how many press-ups he had done so far, but he estimated it to be around one hundred and forty. By the end of the class he'd lost count, but the number had jumped to over two hundred, and Hatter looked as if he had stepped into the shower wearing his gi. The thick white fabric clung to him in patches, his hair hung in limp dripping curls over his forehead and into his eyes, and his skin was gleaming with moisture. His chest heaved and he trembled as he stood at attention in line with the other students at the end of class. Sensei Lim proffered for Alice as she called Hatter forward to be promoted to yellow belt in both Judo and in Kempo.

Hatter followed her instructions to take off his white belt and drop it to the ground, and then raised his arms so she could wind the yellow belt around his waist as Sensei Lim read his certificate. Alice smiled and winked at him as she knotted his belt, and then he bowed to her and Sensei and accepted his certificate. Alice bid him turn around, and the class bowed to him and then broke out in applause. Elated, Hatter grinned his thanks, warmth and acceptance burning in his chest. Or perhaps it was just him trying to breathe… If this was what it took to get yellow, he truly felt sorry for Kenny; he had a lot of days left to go.

After class Alice gingerly kissed Hatter on the lips, trying not to get sweated on, "You did good today. I'm proud of you," she smiled.

He returned her smile with a sardonic one of his own, "Have to learn things the hard way, don't I?"

"Mmmhmm. Usually," she agreed, taking in his ashen skin and the trembling he was unable to hide from her. "Come on, let's go home. If you ask me nicely I'll even wash your hair," Alice offered.

"I'll ask as nice as ya like, love… just don't make me do any more press-ups, yeah?" he replied with a weak smile.

At the state he was in, she wouldn't dare leave him alone to shower anyway. Too many days of not enough sleep and not enough food coupled with an hour's worth of very strenuous exercise made for a very shaky Hatter. She wordlessly handed him a glass of orange juice to drink before she went into the bathroom to turn on the taps. He downed it without argument and then joined her in the shower to take her up on the offer of getting his hair washed. Well, his hair and lots of other things… Alice was nothing if not thorough.

Alice managed to talk Hatter into taking a nap before he went to work, although it took some convincing. She reminded him that Erica was more than capable of handling things on her own, and Alice promised to wake him before Erica was due to leave for the day. He agreed finally when sheer exhaustion convinced him that he was of no use to anyone if he didn't get a little sleep. He was finally starting to feel a little more relaxed thanks to the physical exertion of class combined with the warm water in the shower and the warmer attentions of his Alice. He actually _wanted_ to sleep.

Alice put on some music for him and curled up next to him on the bed, textbook in hand. He tilted his head up to look at her curiously.

She read the question in his eyes and explained, "I need to study, and it's bright enough to read. I just thought I'd keep you company while you fell asleep."

His lips turned up in a small smile and he closed his eyes. A few moments later he felt Alice's fingers running through his thick mop of hair, still damp from the shower. He cracked open his eyes to look at her, and he smiled again at the sight of her. Her eyes were tender, love plain to see in them. Another measure of the strained tension he had been carrying inside of him loosened and uncoiled. He was the lucky guy, now.

"You're beautiful, Alice," he murmured, trying and failing to keep his eyes from drifting shut under her soft touch.

"Shh. Go to sleep," she gently admonished, tracing the line of his strong stubbled jaw with her fingertips.

Alice's fingers grazed over his cheekbone and then his high broad forehead creased with light worry lines, traced over his dark eyebrows and finally over his impossibly soft lips before settling back into his thick hair. She let her eyes drink in the rest of his body, mostly uncovered by the light sheet Hatter was tangled in. She loved to look at him; she studied the lines of his defined shoulders and arms, his smooth chest with its light sprinkling of hair, taut stomach and narrow hips, strong well-formed legs... but she didn't touch him. He really _did_ need the sleep. She sighed, _too bad_. _Later_, she promised herself.

* * *

Hatter's mobile startled him awake; he'd been dreaming of Alice… this time it had been a very good dream that he wasn't all that happy to wake from. Disoriented, he blinked blearily and looked at the window to see how much of the day had been eaten by his nap; the clock said one-thirty p.m., but the room was dark. Thunder cracking in the distance lent an explanation for the near darkness of the room. He fumbled for his phone and flicked it open to read the message from Alice; she told him to wake up.

He scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. He felt better, but he wished he could sleep about another seven hours or so. Erica usually had to leave at two, so he hurried to dress for work. He pulled on a pair of pinstriped dove grey trousers and a slim fitting aubergine purple and grey paisley shirt of soft stretchy cotton. He considered wearing a waistcoat or a tie, and decided on both. He chose a waistcoat in a deeper shade of grey and loosely knotted an aubergine tie around his neck, top button of his shirt undone as usual. He topped it all off with his grey fedora, black boots and black leather blazer.

He surveyed himself in the mirror and felt better still; he hadn't put that much effort into his appearance lately, and it did a lot to help restore a sense of normalcy. He knew he was making Alice worry; she had taken one look at the jeans and t-shirt he had worn to work yesterday and had literally paled. He hadn't even given it a thought until then, but he hated to upset Alice needlessly. He picked up his surprise for Erica off of the kitchen counter and hurried down to the tea shop.

Erica greeted him with a hug and a smile, "What's that?" she asked, gesturing to the large round box he had sat on the counter in front of her.

Hatter grinned merrily, his dimple flashing in his cheek and his deep brown eyes twinkling, "Open it and find out," he suggested.

Confused but intrigued, Erica untied the black satin ribbon and pulled off the lid. Nestled in layers of tissue was a sable brown broad brimmed, round crowned hat. The brim was curled up on the sides, and a short ostrich plume tucked into the black grosgrain band trailed out behind it.

"It is a vivandiere hat," he explained. "The vivandieres were courageous women in the American civil war that braved the battlefield to bring water and comfort to wounded soldiers. I thought it fitting for you," he smiled.

"Do you read history books for fun or something?" she teased.

"Um, yes… actually," he admitted.

Erica laughed and returned her gaze to the hat, "It's beautiful! I don't know what to say," Erica said softly, fingering the brim of her new hat.

"Say nothin'. I just wanted to say I was sorry, and… and I'm glad you're me friend," he finished shyly, a rare blush rising on his cheeks.

"Me too," Erica grinned as she tried on her new hat; she was so pleased that she didn't even tease him about blushing.

* * *

Alice joined him in the shop later that evening, and as he had hoped, his choice in wardrobe seemed to convince her that he was feeling more like himself. The uninterrupted rest had helped, Alice had helped more, and although he hadn't completely shaken his unease, he had decided that he was going to put it from his mind. He would continue to watch and be wary, but he was no good to Alice if he was strung so tightly that he couldn't think straight.

He smiled broadly at her as she joined him behind the counter, eying her navy blue shirtdress, black lace tights and black high heeled knee high boots with approval. He loved it when she wore dresses, but she didn't wear them nearly as often as he would like. She bent down behind the counter to retrieve a box of tea from the bottom shelf, and Hatter caught a flash of bare thigh and black suspender. He sucked in a hard breath and whistled softly; it seemed as if Alice had dressed for him, as well. He knelt next to her and retrieved the box for her, but the damage had been done. All he was able to think about for the remainder of the evening was what else might be under that little dress.

"You look good enough to eat today," Alice complimented as she wiped down the café tables after the shop had closed, "You must be feeling better."

He shot her a cocky grin, "I know how you can make me feel even better still," he said, sweeping his eyes hotly down the line of her body and back up to meet her eyes.

"Oh? How could I do that?" she called over her shoulder innocently as she sauntered into the storeroom to grab a new package of napkins.

He was behind her in an instant, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her tightly against his front.

"I'd rather show ya" he purred, his breath hot against her neck.

Alice sighed as she leaned back into him, reaching behind her to wind her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I dreamt of you, my Alice… would ya like to know what I dreamt?" he asked, his voice low, dark and teasing.

She could only nod, his mouth was hot on her neck and she didn't exactly remember how to form words.

"Mmm, and ya wore this li'l dress for me, din't ya?" he asked as he continued nibbling the back of her neck.

"Yeah, I did," she managed to get out.

His nimble fingers began unfastening the buttons running down the front of her dress; his hands slid across her warm, soft skin, brushed over more black lace, "And this is for me?"

Alice breathed a noise of agreement; she hadn't planned to show it off _here_, but at the moment she was hard pressed to think of any reason why she should make him wait until they got home.

She didn't.

* * *

Alice had ordered pizza from Stephano's while they tried to locate their clothing. By the time they got dressed and made it upstairs the pizza delivery guy was waiting by their door impatiently. Hatter over tipped to make up for it, and they took their dinner inside. They curled up with their pizza and tea and discussed the day's events. Hatter was more relaxed than she'd seen him since the night he'd almost knocked Ryan's head off.

"Are you alright now? You seem more… steady… today," Alice asked carefully.

She hated to bring it up at all, but she wanted to know.

Hatter shrugged, "I still feel like someone has been watching me, and I still feel a bit… uneasy, but yeah, I think it's better. I figured I needed to relax or I'm no good to ya."

"Hatter, you are _always_ good to me," she countered with a soft smile.

He laughed and rolled his eyes, "You know what I meant."

She nodded, "But that doesn't make it any less true."

His dark chocolate eyes softened; her heart ached to see the love in their depths, "It's 'cause I love you too much to be anything else," he whispered, suddenly serious.

She kissed him gently, "I know. I love you, too."

* * *

Hatter slept like death that night, he hardly twitched. The lack of sleep had caught up with him, and his body demanded that he sleep, and sleep hard. Alice was glad to see it, but _she_ was going to get up and run. He didn't even notice when she rolled out of bed, and he was still snoring lightly when she walked back into the room to tell him goodbye. She kissed him on the cheek and said his name until his eyelids fluttered and finally opened.

"What's the matter?" he slurred.

"Nothing. I'm going for a run… lighted track, runner's club meets there. I'm bringing my phone and I should be back before you wake up," she advised him.

She waited until his eyes cleared and focused on her face, "You get all that?"

"Yeah, got it. Be careful, love," he murmured.

"Always am. I'll be back before you know I'm gone," she promised.

She ran hard, her feet slipping on the turns of the damp track. Alice ran for her fear and her worry of her future. She ran away from the temptation to go back to Wonderland to force Jack to make things right for Hatter. She ran from the idea that her mother was replacing her father's place in her life with another man who just _wasn't Daddy_… but Daddy was dead. Who would walk her down the isle? Aunt Helen was dead, too. She would have come for her wedding. She should be there. She ran, because it hurt. She ran, because she was scared. Somewhere around mile four her mind let go and she just _ran._

She felt much calmer as she came to the end of her jog. The runner's club had set out their cooler of water and a stack of cone cups; they never minded that she used it, they usually started running right before she finished and she was never in their way. She used to run with them, but that was before school and work and the tea shop and Hatter. She took a deep drink of cold water from the cone cup and then refilled it two more times before crushing it and throwing it away.

She started walking from the park to the parking lot, planning to take the bus back home. Suddenly dizzy and nauseous, she stopped and bent over. She got out her cell phone, but she couldn't figure out how to dial the numbers. A tall blonde haired figure was coming towards her; she could see concern written on his handsome face as soon as he got close enough to recognize.

"Alice, you look sick. Do you need help?" Ryan asked her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously, fighting back the bile rising in her throat.

"I live nearby, I use this lot to park my car for free." He shrugged, embarrassed, "I know it's illegal, but I'm not rich." He cleared his throat, "Um, anyway, I recognized you, and I just wanted to come over to apologize. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."

Alice nodded, but her brain wasn't working so well and she felt _horrible._

"Can I give you a ride home? Please? Or maybe to a hospital?" he offered.

Alice nodded again, all she could think about was getting home, "Okay. Take me home?"

Ryan opened the door for her and gently reached over and secured her seat belt. He started the car and began driving. Alice's heart raced and her lungs burned as her breathing sped into rapid panting breaths; numbness was quickly spreading throughout her body. She tried to move her legs, but they only twitched in response.

"Don't bother. Your cup was laced with Ketamine. It's handy rooming with a veterinary intern sometimes. I traded him some hydrocodone for it, plus some other handy items… we have a system worked out. I'll be kicked right out of nursing school once they find out I stole it from the hospital, but it won't matter by then; Hatter will have taken me back to Wonderland and he'll fix everything for me," Ryan rambled.

"Drugged me?" she gasped out, glaring at him.

"You and the next few people that drink from those cups, yeah," he admitted. "I had to be sure I got you."

Alice's eyes widened in fear. Ryan was crazy. Certifiable. He'd drugged innocent people just to get to her? Some of the runners were kids! He could kill someone. Shit, she was in trouble.

"No... conscience? Kids... drink that. Monster!" she grated out.

"As a matter of fact, no. Conscience is one of the things they drained from me. Stole it," he glared back at her.

"You know what's funny?" he asked with a smile, his mood suddenly shifting gears, "My contact isn't even interested in you. He wants Hatter's head on a plate. I have a better idea though. Yep."

He reached over her and pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket, "And I'll take your cell. Good girl, bringing a phone with you. This will help speed things up a bit. Good thing Hatter is used to getting texts from you, isn't it? He'll fall right into my trap, thanks to you and modern technology."

TBC

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**A/N: Whew, this one was difficult, and a whole lot happened. So did you sing "Rollercoaster?" *Cackle*… Um, I mean… _Don't hit me! _If it helps, there is a Missing Reel for this chapter (titled Sweetest Dreams, Sweeter Tease.) And need I remind you that reviews always encourage me to write, and the more interest I have, the faster I write? I'm just sayin'. Please feed the muse?**

**The idea to gift Erica's with a hat courtesy of iEvenstarEstel's suggestion. There is a link to it on my profile, if you'd like to see it.**

**Oh, and lots more twisties on the way. I am super excited to get into this next bit, and I _really_ hope ya'll like it!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Finally! Oh, I know. I hope the Missing Reel from last chapter helped to tide you over (title: Sweetest Dreams, Sweeter Tease.) I do hope you enjoy this… and thank you for the reviews! It helps me know I'm doing something right. *grins***

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Chapter 19

Hatter woke with the same thought he did every morning, where was his Alice? Foggy and still confused, he listened for her in the flat; still silence answered him. His whole body ached from testing yesterday, and his head pounded from sleeping too hard and too long without moving. He vaguely remembered Alice leaving this morning for a run… hadn't she? He was almost certain it hadn't been a dream. Hadn't she had said she would be back before he woke up? He cast his gaze to the clock; it was ten a.m. Alice had been gone four hours?

His blood ran ice cold through his veins; he was instantly awake, all fog and confusion burned away in the face of sheer terror. He half stumbled, half ran into the main room, looking for any evidence of Alice. She had woken him… she _had_. She'd not just leave without telling him, he was sure of it. Perhaps she had gone somewhere else after her run and had left him a note? No. No note anywhere, and after last time… well, she had promised him she'd not do that to him again. She had _promised._ If she had gone, it was not of her own volition. Hatter drew in a deep breath to try and quell the ever-rising panic. Yes. He remembered. She had gone for a run, and she should be back by now.

Days upon days of getting only a few hours sleep per night had finally caught up with him, and he'd slept much more deeply than he typically did. Ordinarily, he would have woken by seven-thirty if he didn't hear Alice come back in. He had slipped up. He had failed her. What had she said to him yesterday? She had told him that his nightmares weren't real because he would never let anything happen to her. She'd believed in him and he'd let her down. If anything had happened to her… wait… his phone! He frantically located it and flipped it open. _Yes! A message from Alice!_

His fingers flew as he navigated through the menu to get to his message inbox, already calming with the knowledge that Alice hadn't just disappeared. _Need to relax,_ he counseled himself. The message said that her mother had needed her, and that he should text back when he got the message, and then to come over. He breathed a deep sigh of relief and then laughed ruefully at the instinctual panic that gripped him any time he didn't know where she had gone. They weren't in Wonderland anymore; Alice was more than capable of taking care of herself. It still didn't stop him from wanting to, though. It probably never would.

Hatter replied back to her by text, assuming that her mother was in the middle of some crisis or another and she couldn't ring him. Carol had been seeing Jonas regularly since Alice had convinced her that she should, but Alice had been avoiding her because of it. She knew it was the right thing for her mother to move on, but she didn't fancy seeing it up close and personal, or so she had said. Carol had probably gotten tired of Alice avoiding her and decided to take matters into her own hands. He was truly glad not to be on the receiving end this time; Carol was a force to be reckoned with.

He had told Alice that ignoring it would not make it go away, but she had her own mind about these things. Okay, she had her own mind about _all_ things, but sometimes she actually listened to the words he said to her…sometimes. Hatter decided that he'd not even make another attempt to sway her on this one once she had given him that narrow-eyed _look_ that usually preceded a particularly nasty argument. It just wasn't worth it. She'd sort things out with her mother eventually.

Hatter dressed quickly and simply; if Alice needed him, he wanted to get there as quickly as possible. Jeans and white t-shirt, chocolate leather jacket and his comfortable tweed trilby fit all the necessary requirements. His mind on Alice's problems with her mum, he exited the flat and started down the flight of stairs. A sharp biting pain in the back of his thigh brought him up short, causing him to stumble. He reached down, found the small dart protruding from his thigh and pulled it free. _Too late, _he thought. His eyes were already blurring as he spotted a figure at the top of the stairs.

Hatter squinted and tried to make out the face; Ryan smirked at him from the top stair, tranquilizer gun in hand. Fury propelled Hatter forward, although he was beginning to lose sensation in his legs. Hatter stumbled towards him, balled his right fist and took a blind rage-filled swing, but he only managed to put a hole in the wall of the stairwell and lose his tenuous balance. His vision tunneled and blackened; he tumbled down the flight of stairs to land in a heap at the bottom, his trilby crushed underneath him.

Ryan smiled in triumph; his roommate had promised that Ketamine worked fast when it was injected. He'd said that often, the person couldn't even finish the injection before the stupor hit. He would know… Ryan had watched his hidden cache of videos of girls he'd used the drug on. His roommate had the dosing down to a science. Ryan grinned at his success; it had all gone perfectly according to plan. He had been able to down Hatter without even getting near him or his deadly right fist. He might have overestimated the dosage a little; he hadn't intended to knock him completely unconscious for quite so long. Of course, he'd also hit his head pretty hard when he fell down the steps.

Ketamine was a fairly short lived drug, and even shorter when injected, although Hatter was likely to feel some residual effects for the next couple of days. He should wake up within a couple of hours, provided he hadn't suffered too hard a blow from his trip down the stairs. As long as he was together enough to make the journey through to Wonderland, it would be good enough. By the time Hatter woke up, he would be safely secured… and if he wasn't willing to cooperate, then he would execute part two of his plan. Either way he would win, and winning had become more important to Ryan than anything else.

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Pain. Pins and needles chased down his arms as he shifted slightly. Hatter cracked his eyes open, fighting down the tide of nausea and disorientation. He winced as light blasted his senses, the colors haloing and doubling the nauseous twisting in his belly. He struggled to force his thoughts to move in a linear fashion, but whatever he'd been shot with was still affecting his cognition. He couldn't remember anything past getting shot with the dart.

_Think! Think, _he commanded himself. He wriggled just a little bit more, testing his restraints. He was laid out flat on his back, his arms strapped around himself in some sort of heavy coat. _Straightjacket? Seriously?_ He couldn't move his legs or chest either; he appeared to be strapped to a stretcher or cot. He was regretting scaring Ryan quite so thoroughly; he seemed to be taking every precaution to ensure that Hatter would not be able to pose a threat to him. He'd drugged him, laced him into a straightjacket, and tied him down with wide nylon straps; Hatter admitted it, at the moment he was defenseless.

Hatter wondered what Ryan's game was. Did he think to use him to trap Alice? He hoped Alice would be smart enough to see the trick for what it was. He hoped she was more logical where _he_ was concerned than vice versa. What would Alice think when she found him missing? She would think he had abandoned her, that's what she would think. Despair filled him; he tried to have faith that Alice knew him well enough to realize he would never voluntarily leave her. Once he got his hands on Ryan… the bastard would pay.

Hatter tried to open his eyes again, but the light felt like a million tiny daggers into his retinas. _Think, Hatter, think! _How was he going to get out of _this_ one? Okay, first he had to see _where_ he was, and then he had to see what Ryan wanted with him. He'd go from there. Meanwhile, he was going to try not to vomit up his bootlaces and concentrate on learning how to see again. The coppery taste of blood in his mouth wasn't helping matters, nor was the continual throbbing coming from his temples. He'd dealt with worse in the past, and he would deal with this, as well. He had to get out of here, and get to Alice.

Hatter froze as he heard footsteps echoing, coming steadily towards him. He tried to open his eyes again with a little better success than before. Ryan was standing over him, arms crossed and smirking. Hatter clenched his jaw; he'd like to wipe that look off of his face permanently. The anger helped him ignore the pain, so he let it burn.

Hatter sneered up at him, "What are you playin' at?" he asked, his words slurring slightly.

His tongue felt thick and dry; it was hard to be menacing when he couldn't talk… or move.

"You are going to take me back to Wonderland, and you are going to make them put them back, and give me what I need," Ryan said as if his words made perfect sense to Hatter.

"Put what back?" Hatter spat.

"They took them. Conscience, empathy…gone. I don't miss those so much, but they drained my fucking _Lust_, and I want it back. I want it back!" he ranted, pacing back and forth, his voice gaining in volume, "They took everything from me…my life…everything! All I have to show for it is-" he paused, "a driving need to make them pay for what they did to me," he smiled again, suddenly calm.

Hatter had the distinct impression he'd been about to say something else, but Ryan continued on as if he hadn't been ranting and screaming a minute before.

"You have tea, and you can fix what they did to me. You know people, you know things, people owe you favors," Ryan explained.

_Shit! _Ryan had been turned into a _fucking sociopath_ thanks to the Queen and her tea trade. He'd even been selling _Clear Conscience_ in his tea shop the day he'd met Alice; was this the byproduct of the extraction? _Clear Conscience _was a potent cocktail of _Empathy _and _Gratitude_, with a dash of tertiary emotions; it was one of the newest of the emotion teas. It was no wonder that Hatter had not been able to get a read on him; with no conscience, Ryan was incapable of feeling most emotions. He'd not feel guilt, or remorse, or empathy… he would do exactly what he wanted to do with no care to the effect it may have on anyone else. The only thing to stop him was if he thought he'd be caught, and only then if the repercussions would be severe enough.

_Oh, hell._ He was in serious trouble, for sure. If Ryan got his hands on Alice, there was no telling what he would do to her. He had to protect her at all costs. He'd not help Ryan catch her, no matter what was done to him.

"Fuck…you," Hatter enunciated carefully.

Ryan smiled and kicked him viciously in the kidney, "Wrong answer."

Hatter clenched his jaw on the pain, refusing to cry out. He'd be damned if he gave him the satisfaction.

"You wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious Alice, would you? Don't ask me why you want sloppy seconds from the Prince… oh, wait… he's the King now. I guess a king's sloppy seconds are better than a prince's… marginally," Ryan needled.

Hatter _knew_ that Ryan was just trying to get a reaction out of him, but his temper flared even hotter just the same. He idly wondered if he could rip Ryan's arms off... he was going to try it when he got the chance.

"You're mad. I'll not help you. I'm not going back to Wonderland, I'm not taking you, and if ya think I'll do anything to help you get Alice, you're wrong," Hatter replied, ignoring the insult.

"Oh, I think I have something that will motivate you. You just um… sit tight… while I go and get it," Ryan grinned delightedly.

Hatter studied his prison while he waited, but he didn't recognize a thing. He'd never been here. He was tied to a stretcher laid out on a cement floor. High ceilings of corrugated metal, windowless cinder block walls, a small cluster of empty offices in the corner and crates stacked throughout the room in long rows… a warehouse of some sort. The place smelled dusty and stale; if he had to guess, he'd say it looked like long term storage.

The creak and scrape of wheels rolling over bare floor interrupted his assessment; he craned his neck to try to look around the row of crates blocking his view. Ryan emerged around the corner, pushing a gurney covered in a sheet. Hatter's heart stuttered and clenched painfully. He had a person under there. No. _Please, no. Please not his Alice, _he pleaded to whatever greater power might be listening to him.

Ryan tore the sheet off the figure with a flourish, "Ta dah!"

Alice lay strapped down on the gurney, trembling with fear. Her eyes were wide open; they darted from side to side as they lighted on things that only she could see. She looked right through him. What had Ryan done to his Alice?

Hatter roared, rage breaking down all barriers of control. He struggled futilely against the wide cargo straps and the restraints of the straightjacket, frustration feeding the rage. His veins stood out as he struggled, his skin bruising as he thrashed against his bonds. The straps didn't give a centimeter; seething, he continued to struggle as Ryan laughed and waited for Hatter to quiet.

Growing impatient, Ryan held up a syringe, "I could always give her a little more if you can't shut up and listen. It might kill her… but I'll take the chance."

Hatter froze, his chest heaving, "What have you done to her?"

"You went through the same thing. Don't remember? Hmm. Sometimes it happens that way. Lucky you, I hear the hallucinations can be horrible," Ryan answered.

Hatter could only imagine what Alice must be going through. Alice's gasps and little whimpers of fear pierced the silence as he desperately tried to rein in his emotions. Tears ran down her face, unchecked. He had to hold it together, for Alice.

"Do I have your attention now?" Ryan smirked.

Hatter glared at him, fury burning a fiery pit in his belly. If he was going to get them out of this, he had to be able to think clearly. He had to lock it away; it would be there when he needed it.

"What do you want?" Hatter bit out between clenched teeth.

"I told you what I wanted. This is your fault, you know," Ryan related conversationally, "I would have just paid my way, even though I don't know if I can trust the guy to deliver. He'd rather have _you_ than the money, but I figured it was more trouble than it was worth. He doesn't even _want_ Alice… although I'm sure he'd take her; she's got to be worth _something._"

Hatter seethed at the implication, "So?"

"So? So these are your options," he held up one finger, "You take me to Wonderland, you get my _Lust_ returned to me and as much tea as I like, and I'll tell you a code to give by phone before you cross back over. My associate will tell you where Alice is, and you can retrieve her," Ryan smiled, "I suggest you choose option one."

Ryan held up a second finger, "Option two, you refuse. I'll shoot Alice up with enough Ketamine to make her die a horrible death. I'll hand over your location to my Wonderland contact after he takes me to the other side. You'll keep nicely just as you are."

Ryan held up a third finger, "Last option, option three. You take me to Wonderland and think that you can kill me off and find Alice on your own… my associate doesn't ever get a call… see option two. I assure you, he'll have no qualms about killing her… he might take her for a test drive first…"

Hatter strained against the restraints, growling, "I'll kill you."

Ryan chuckled, "Shame. Back to option two, and I'll be sure you watch her die."

Hatter settled back into sullen silence, imagining all the ways he could make the man die. Evisceration, exsanguination, garrote, blunt trauma… he was leaning towards tearing his head off.

"We aren't in any rush though; you need to regain motor function, at least. We'll leave tomorrow. I'll leave you two alone so you can discuss it together," Ryan offered facetiously.

Hatter swallowed down the angry words on his tongue. Ryan was insane, and he wanted to avoid giving him any reason to hurt Alice, or to take her from his sight. He'd at least have a chance to explain things to Alice.

Ryan pointed at the camera mounted on the wall, "Smile and wave. That's my proof that I have you secured."

Ryan locked eyes with Hatter as he leaned over Alice's prone body and licked her tears off one cheek, "Hmmm. Fear…delicious."

Hatter saw red… he shut down. He had to, or he would be driven as insane as Ryan.

"I promise you… you'll regret this. If any more harm comes to Alice I will I rip you limb from limb, and then strangle you with your own intestines. I will find you, and I will not stop… not ever. I promise you that," Hatter grated.

Ryan paled and then his face suffused with blood again and his face set in lines of rage.

He stalked back over to Alice, "Yeah? Maybe I should just kill her now, then."

"No!" Hatter cried out, panicked.

Ryan produced the syringe again and stuck it forcefully into Alice's thigh, "Object lesson, Hatter. It won't kill her this time… probably."

Hatter watched him as he injected her, his eyes gone empty and cold, "Damn you. That was not necessary."

Ryan didn't reply; he just stalked away.

Hatter watched helplessly as Alice's whimpers turned into full fledged cries. She sobbed and squeezed her eyes shut. Her arms were rubbed raw under the cargo straps; he was glad she hadn't been put into a straightjacket, but at least it would have given her a measure of warmth and protection.

Once again, Alice was in danger thanks to him. He _had_ failed her, and failed her completely. He would save her. He would, no matter the cost.

"Hatter?" Alice whimpered, her voice small and terrified.

"Alice, love! I'm here. Can you hear me?" Hatter replied gently.

"Hatter? Can you hear me? I think I'm dead," Alice said, her voice quivering.

**TBC**

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A/N: Twisty me and twisty Ryan…what a baddie. He can't much help it. And yes, according to my research (and the sexual assault prevention class I used to teach), the Ketamine information is accurate. Frightening stuff.

**I told ya'll that they were in for a ride… I hope you enjoy it, too. If so (or not), please review? Feed my inspiration? Please? (makes me write faster…honest)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I dunno where everyone on has gone, but those of ya'll that **_**are**_** here did leave me some lovely reviews last chapter! Thanks so much! Your support helped me write this one faster. *grins* **

**Alright, alright! I know. Tension… palatable… stuff! but I come bearing new chapter, please do enjoy. **

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Chapter 20

Hatter's stomach dropped. Alice sounded so small and frail, and scared… and here he was, helpless, strapped down so he could hardly move a centimeter. His arms had long sense lost sensation, and now that he was more lucid he was beginning to notice that he was a little worse for wear; his head throbbed, the nausea just grew worse as time wore on, and his vision was still distorted. The drug left him with one hell of an aftereffect. Even if he got free somehow, he was unsure if he could even walk. His right thigh felt as if all the muscles had been knotted up together and twisted with a hot poker; it must be from the tranquilizer dart.

From the looks of Alice, she hadn't fared much better than him. Alice shivered violently, her eyes gone wide and blank, and her face slack and expressionless. He strained against the straps that held him again, but all he got for his effort was a jolt of pain from his deep bruises and blood-starved numbed flesh. It was no good. He had been secured tightly, and he could tell that he'd been tied down with the competence of one that knew exactly what he was doing. He'd bet that Ryan had not been a sterling bloke before he'd been drained.

"Alice, you're not dead. You were drugged. Can you understand me?" Hatter asked, forcing himself to sound calm for Alice.

She didn't answer him; she couldn't answer him. She'd been drawn down under the influence of the fresh dose of Ketamine. There was nothing to do but wait for it to wear off. Wait, and try to think of a way out of this nightmare. He figured his best shot was to overpower Ryan when he let him loose. He would have to convince him that he was cowed sufficiently to not put up a struggle, and he would have to be quick, but he couldn't afford to be separated from Alice. Once that happened, his options were substantially diminished.

He tried to think on what he'd do if he had to cross over, but the thought chilled him to his bones. It was difficult to move past that to begin thinking on what his options were once in Wonderland. Not only was he wanted by several criminal organizations _and_ the monarchy, but the journey itself was risky, as well. He wasn't entirely sure he could do it, and if he did, if he'd make it out the other side in one piece. Now, if he'd been with Alice, he'd feel a whole lot more confident that they would arrive safely. Wonderland knew and accepted Alice as an ally. He let his subconscious continue to wrestle with it while he turned his thoughts to the present. Alice needed him now; the rest would have to wait.

Alice tried to focus, tried to remember who she was and what was happening to her, but it was so _hard _to _think_. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, and she couldn't _feel_ her body. She'd asked Hatter if she was dead, because she was looking down at them both from the ceiling, and she was scared… oh god, she was scared that she had died on him and left him all alone. He answered her, but his words echoed and bounced and she couldn't understand, and then she couldn't even speak any longer. She must be dead.

She watched as he struggled against the cargo straps and straightjacket before collapsing back onto the stretcher, pale and sweating. Dried blood was smeared across his forehead from a cut on his temple, and his bottom lip was cut and swollen. He was talking to her again, staring at her with wide frightened eyes. She didn't like to see Hatter like this, terrified, panicked; it wasn't like her Hatter at all. She tried to tell him she was there with him, even if she were dead, but the words wouldn't come.

Hatter closed his eyes; he couldn't watch it any longer. Alice lay on the gurney as if dead; the slow and much too shallow rise and fall her chest was the only indication that she still lived at all. Nothing he said roused her. Time seemed to move slower as he waited… hoped… that Alice would regain some semblance of herself soon. With no clocks on the wall, nor any ambient light, it was impossible to tell how much time had passed, but it felt like an eternity. Hatter felt the pull of black melancholy depression waiting to swallow him up and spit him out; he was to blame for this. He stared at her and waited; he hoped she could forgive him, although he didn't deserve it.

Alice shifted on the bed, the movement catching Hatter's attention. He studied her closely, afraid he'd imagined it. She'd been still and quiet for so long he was beginning to think she'd dropped into a coma. She whimpered and shifted again, and he knew he'd not imagined it. She slowly began showing some more signs of movement, if not awareness. The whimpering and crying pulled at his heart and he truly wasn't sure what was worse, the catatonic state or _this_. Looking into her empty terrified eyes, eyes that didn't even see him, he thought the former might be infinitesimally better. He talked to her until his voice grew hoarse to try to soothe her, but Alice never responded. Finally, he stopped… she didn't even know he was there.

He let the darkness swallow him; he had failed her, and this was the cost of it. Locked inside his mind, he screamed in outrage and beat his fists bloody against the walls he'd built to control his fury, but he couldn't let it free. Not yet.

"Hatter," Alice rasped.

He jerked in surprise at the sound of her soft voice after such a long stretch of silence. The movement set off a fresh wave of pain, but in light of Alice becoming sentient again and speaking his name, he hardly noticed.

He snapped out of his introspective guilt-wallowing in an instant, "Yes, love. I'm here."

She was looking at him now, her stormy blue eyes aware if not entirely clear. His Alice was back with him.

Unlike Hatter, she had a clear memory of all that had happened to her, aside from the brief period of time where she had blacked out in the car ride over. Hatter was furious all over again as Alice explained how Ryan had managed to capture her, and Alice was ready to choke the life out of Ryan herself as Hatter told her of the urgent message he'd gotten from her phone. They'd been played.

Hatter spelled out the options that Ryan had left him with; Alice paled as she realized what Hatter had known as soon as he heard them. They were _so_ screwed.

"Do you have the contacts to get his emotions restored to him?" she asked curiously.

"No. Yes. Maybe. I have never heard of such a thing, but I know people who might know if it is possible. Usually when Oysters are drained to the point that they've got nothing useful left, they are put down," he gave her an apologetic grimace, "It takes a long time, though… and usually they go down quietly. Some ask for it."

"Why in the _hell_ would they ask for it?" Alice inquired, outraged.

"Think on it Alice. Think on what you'd be like without the emotions the Queen was taking. No joy, no excitement… what's the point in living?" he asked her, his voice somber, and she could tell he'd already thought on it long and hard.

"You don't think you can give him what he wants, do you?" Alice asked.

"No, love. I don't. Tea, I can get for him, but restoring him is likely impossible," he admitted.

"You've got to try to get a message to Jack, he's our best bet," Alice asserted.

"I don't plan to cross over at all, if I can help it. He's got to let me loose at some point, yeah? And I am going to do my best to get him to untie you," he replied, ignoring her suggestion.

"I don't suppose you have a plan B?" she asked with a wry smile.

"I'm workin' on it," he smiled tightly in return.

Sort of. He was sort of working on it, anyway. Of bigger concern to him was how he would go about convincing Alice to go completely against her nature. He'd have to gloss over things just a bit, but her life was more important than anything else. The way he saw it, he'd not have to worry much about dealing with the consequences. The dead were usually absolved of guilt.

"Alice, if you have a chance to get out of here-" Hatter began.

"Save it," she cut him off, "I know you want me to take it, and you already know that I won't do it," she countered.

Hatter's face grew gravely serious at her words. He knew she would resist it, but he had to convince her otherwise. He _had_ to. If he crossed over, he was afraid he'd never make it back. He might die trying, but Alice… she _would_ die if he couldn't return to her. She had to get out of danger.

"Alice, please. You may be our only hope of escape. If I take him through…" he paused, choosing his words carefully, "I might not be able to return in time. Rabbit holes sometimes distort time unpredictably. If that happens, you'll be killed. If you have a chance, you _must _take it."

Alice stared into his dark eyes, and as usual, she saw right through him, "You think you're going to die," she stated flatly.

"No, of course not! But-" Hatter started to reassure her.

"Don't lie to me. I don't care how justified you think it is. Don't you _ever_ lie to me," she cut him off again, her voice shaking with barely suppressed hurt and anger.

Hatter flinched, "Alice…I…" It was no good; she was right. He shouldn't try to convince her by deception. She deserved better than that.

Hatter sighed, "Yes. I might die," he conceded, "But I think I have a slim chance. Believe me Alice, I've got a lot to live for now. If I have breath in my body, I'll make my way back to you. I swear it," he promised, begging her desperately to just this once do as he asked.

Alice tried to swallow down the lump rising in her throat. Crying wouldn't help anything, but the thought of watching Hatter voluntarily go to his death on the slight chance that it would save her was almost too much for her to handle. If it weren't for her being stupid and getting captured, he'd be able to do what he had to and get away. It wasn't fair. They had already been through too much fear and pain and heartache. She thought they were finally going to be able to just live out their lives together in peace, but it seemed that life would not leave them alone. The tears came, as much as she tried to fight them.

"Ah, no. Please don't do that. Please don't cry, Alice. I'll think of a way," Hatter entreated, his voice breaking as he swallowed back his own tears.

His Alice was not one to cry or to give up hope. It hurt to see her like this, and all because of him. If he had been more careful… if he had trusted his instincts… if he had looked out for her better… If! It didn't matter, not anymore.

"I'm sorry, Alice," he said softly.

"No. Don't _do_ that. This isn't your fault, alright? Blame Ryan, and that bitch of a queen for what she did to him to turn him into this monster," she argued vehemently.

"Yeah," he agreed, but she hadn't swayed him.

"Okay," she nodded reluctantly, "Okay. If I can escape, I will," she acceded; he was right, it might be their only chance.

Hatter nodded gratefully, "Good."

They were left on their own for hours, and Hatter was beginning to wonder if it had occurred to Ryan that his captives would need to eat, drink, and use the loo. Hatter's mind was so restless that the thought of food did not appeal to him in the least, but he was painfully thirsty. He wondered if Alice had even eaten breakfast; if he didn't feed it to her, most days she'd go without.

"Did ya even eat this morning?" he asked her after he heard her stomach rumble from across the room.

"Toast. But I threw it up in Ryan's car. I aimed for the air conditioning vents," she chuckled.

"That's my girl," Hatter smirked, "At least it went to good use."

She didn't complain, but she didn't need to. They changed the subject from food to try to avoid thinking on something they couldn't have. As they grew more and more uncomfortable, their conversation stuttered and died into silence as it invariably went back to the forbidden topic. Alice couldn't stop thinking about Hatter's bread pudding, and then just fried bread, then bread… and then it was water. The need for water soon eclipsed everything else.

By the time Ryan entered the room again, they were both suffering, and they were both trying desperately to act as if they weren't. He informed them that this was the only time that night he would allow them out of the restraints. Alice managed to get a look at his watch. It was close to midnight; no wonder they were so hungry and thirsty, she'd been captive nearly fifteen hours.

Any hope Hatter might have had for making a break for it this time was dashed in short order. Ryan warned Hatter that any false move on his part would result in immediate repercussions on Alice, and he reminded Alice that he would happily shoot her up with enough Ketamine to make her compliant if she attempted escape.

He loosened the cargo straps holding her down and she hissed in pain as blood flowed into parts of her body that had been restricted for hours. Ryan held up his trank gun in warning, and motioned Alice forward toward the filthy little toilet near the abandoned offices. He motioned her into the room, but thankfully he allowed her the privacy of the cubicle, even though he stood in the open door of the restroom.

After she had finished, he handed her a small paper bag containing a fast food burger and fries and a bottle of water. She greedily drank down some water and then moved on to unwrap the burger from its paper. Ryan could drug her whenever he wished, so there seemed to be no sense in avoiding any food or drink that was offered to either of them. They had discussed it in depth while trying to unsuccessfully avoid the subject of food, and they both agreed that if they were given anything to eat, they would take it.

"What about Hatter?" she asked.

"He's next," Ryan stated succinctly.

Alice ate her food and drank down the rest of the water. She chewed and swallowed so fast she hardly tasted it. She didn't know when she would have another opportunity to eat, and she needed to keep up her strength. She would escape if she could; she'd promised Hatter… but if he honestly thought she wouldn't come after him, he was kidding himself. Nothing would stop her, short of death.

"Let him out of the cargo straps, but the straightjacket stays on," Ryan ordered after she finished her meal.

He kept the gun trained on her constantly. She had to help Hatter to sit up; Ryan had pulled his restraints considerably tighter than he had done hers, and though he clenched his jaw and didn't make a sound, she could tell he was hurting by the whiteness of his skin and the deepening of the lines of strain in his face. Alice put her arm around his waist and helped him limp to the bathroom; he was having difficulty bearing weight on his right leg. Ryan chuckled as he gave Alice the option of giving Hatter an assist or letting him just piss his self.

About a hundred retorts came to mind, but Hatter swallowed them back. If Ryan thought this would embarrass either of them… well, he was right… but neither one of them let it show. He was amazed that they had even been offered any concessions to begin with… Ryan must have his reasons. He probably thought that this would convince Hatter that he could be trusted to uphold his end of their bargain. Regardless, as Alice and he had already decided, they would take anything he offered and do their best to act as if they had accepted their fate.

Ryan told Alice she would have to feed Hatter, if he was going to eat; it seemed he would not be allowed out of the straightjacket at all. She sat directly in front of him, blocking his view of Ryan. She quietly coaxed him to eat as she fed him bites of hamburger, knowing he would need all the strength he could muster. Ryan was taking no chances on him, and an escape seemed less and less likely. The hard lines in his face softened as he looked at her, but she could still see the barely restrained frustration and anger simmering beneath the surface.

Ryan directed Alice to strap Hatter back down to the stretcher; she tried to do it as gently as possible, but she could clearly tell it hurt. She brushed a covert kiss over his lips as she leaned over him; the thought that it might be the last one she had from him nearly choked her with sorrow. She wouldn't let Ryan see it; she'd never give him the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt her to see Hatter suffer.

Alice climbed back on the gurney and waited for Ryan to secure her again. She wondered how long she would be left alone tied down like this. She hated it, but having Hatter nearby had mitigated some of the effect of it. She didn't think she'd handle it so well without him nearby. Would anyone come to bring her food or water? Hatter must have been thinking the same thing.

"Oi! Who's going to look after Alice while we're off in Wonderland, eh? You're not planning to leave her tied up like that for days, are ya?" Hatter asked, his voice carefully calm and even.

"Why not?" Ryan asked.

"Because if ya want me to go along with your plan, Alice mustn't be harmed, and I call that harm," Hatter smoothly argued, his cadence of speech falling into the pattern of persuasion that had worked for him so often in the past.

Ryan stared at him, calculating. Finally, he nodded and Hatter wanted to sigh in relief; he knew if he did so it would be a mistake.

"Okay. Here's the deal… you go along with me nice and easy and don't try to pull any stupid heroics, and I'll handcuff her to a wall in the office back there. She'll be able to move around, a little bit. I'll even provide her with a bedpan, and I'll leave her food and water. Provided you can deliver what you promised, it will be enough for her to survive off of. I'll even put the mattress from the gurney on the floor for her," Ryan offered.

Hatter nodded, "Alright."

He didn't like it, but Alice didn't need much to take someone down. If her legs were free, it might be enough. It was bloody well better than her being strapped to a gurney until she died of thirst. Alice was bright, resourceful and tenacious… if there was a way out, she'd find it. He had to hold on to that little gossamer thread of hope, else he'd have no hope at all.

"Oh, and Alice… the camera will be aimed at your little nest. If you try anything, my associate will just keep you drugged senseless. And Hatter… one phone call does the same. I trust you will keep your promise to behave," he asked with a smug smile.

"Yes," Hatter growled through clenched teeth.

Ryan cinched Hatter's cargo straps down more tightly; Hatter grunted in pain but bit back the cry that bubbled behind his lips. He'd strapped him in so tightly that it was difficult to breathe. Ryan seemed to thrive off of other's fear and torment, and he was damned if he'd feed him more of it. It took everything he had not to tell Ryan how much he'd like to give him his due comeuppance, but every time he'd frightened Ryan, it had ended badly. _Patience,_ he counseled himself as he glared at Ryan's retreating back as he sauntered out, laughing.

TBC

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A/N: Ah, don't hit me, please. More to come. Looks pretty grim for our heroes, doesn't it? Still, when you're tangling with the saviors of Wonderland, you'd better watch out, and even more so when you threaten Hatter's Alice or Alice's Hatter.

**So please tell me what you think? Reviews are love and feed my poor ravenous muse. She is sooo hungry and sad as of late.**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Here she is! Long awaited chapter! I'm sorry it was a little bit longer wait than usual, (damn distracting Connor and Abby) but I hope that it is worth it. And thank you so much, those of you that are still reading and reviewing! If you weren't reading it, I wouldn't be writing it. :) Thank you!**

**I hope you like this… *worries***

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Chapter 21

Erica had waited for Hatter to relieve her from her shift for a full hour before she began to worry. Now that she knew what she was doing, he usually came in later, and sometimes it was just a few minutes before her shift ended. Despite how erratic his times were, he _never_ failed to show for work. The tea shop was Hatter's pride and joy and although he joked and flirted and charmed while he was working, Erica knew without question that he took his business very seriously. If he didn't show for work, something was wrong. She had called his phone, but he didn't answer, and neither did Alice when she tried hers. James hadn't heard from him either, and he suggested she run up to his apartment to check on him.

She'd stuck a note on the shop door and locked it, and then went through the back door, down the alley and opened the nondescript door to the stairwell that led to her friends' home. Erica froze, distraught, as she took in the scene before her. Hatter's tweed trilby lay in the corner of the stairwell, a Hatter's fist sized hole had been broken out of the wall, and blood dotted the stairs and wall. Someone had hurt her friends. Ryan. She would bet anything that it was Ryan. She had to do something. Police. She would call the police.

After spending her afternoon speaking with the police instead of in class, Erica learned that the police had no other leads aside from the one's she'd given them, and that Alice had last been seen that morning, and Hatter hadn't been seen or heard from since the night before. Erica pointed the police in Ryan's direction as the prime suspect, but she didn't know how much good it would do. She thought Ryan would be smart enough to avoid his apartment, although maybe they would find some sort of clue to his location. She provided his address and explained that he'd threatened Hatter and Alice because Hatter had fired him for stealing from the shop. She tried to have hope; Alice and Hatter both had friends on the force, thanks to the dojo. They would do their best to find them.

She and James closed the shop down for the day, but they both agreed to split the shifts to cover for Hatter's absence so the shop didn't have to be shut down altogether until they returned. Erica had to believe they would return; she just hoped that someone found them soon. She would do what she could to help… if there was anything to be traced, she could trace it. After she finished with the detective, she was torn between starting her investigation right then or going to see Carol, but finally decided on Carol, knowing that her longtime friend's mother would need to hear what she had seen firsthand. The police had already broken the news of Alice's disappearance to her; at least Erica didn't have to bear that burden.

Dennis brought Erica a glass of warm milk and then settled in next to her on the couch. She was typing furiously on her laptop, following each little thread and lead down to its end.

She waved off the milk with a grimace, "No. Need coffee. Can't sleep yet. Little longer."

Dennis hugged her gently, "I know you want to help them, but you need to sleep. It's four in the morning. Come to bed."

Erica sighed and blinked her bright blue eyes blearily, "Four already?"

Dennis nodded.

"Okay. Okay. I just hoped I'd find something. I just found another lead, I think," she said as she fingers began to move again.

"Tomorrow, mi corazoncito. It will be there tomorrow," he cajoled.

* * *

Hatter and Alice tried to stay awake, desperate to retain the connection between them both, but the conversation faltered and sputtered and finally died as the night wore on. Exhaustion crept in and stole the brief time they had left with each other. Alice dozed first, and Hatter followed suit despite his determination to stay awake and watch over her. The drugs still burning in his veins served to throw the fight. His body rebelled against his mind, sinking him into a fitful sleep, but when Alice screamed his name Hatter was jolted awake in an instant.

Ryan loomed over her, hypodermic needle in hand. Hatter watched, stricken, as he jabbed it into her thigh; Alice screamed her protest and struggled against her bonds. Her wild eyes locked on his, and Hatter knew he would never get the image of her wide-eyed terrified face out of his mind. It would haunt him for the remainder of his life. He'd seen it in his dreams and now his dreams had become reality, and he was helpless to stop it.

"We had a deal!" Hatter growled, struggling in vain against the straps securing him.

"We still do. I need to move her. Can't have her trying to escape, now can I?" Ryan countered, "I thought you'd want to see that I would do what I promised."

Hatter clenched his jaw so tightly that it hurt as he watched Ryan's rough handling of his Alice. Her eyes fluttered and closed as her body went limp, and he had to be thankful that she wouldn't feel the bruises that Ryan's careless hands were leaving on her body as he loosened the straps securing Alice to the bed and then lifted her up and carried her into one of the abandoned offices and dropped her on the floor. He handcuffed her to the exposed piping and then returned to lift the mattress from the gurney and toss it to the floor beside her. Ryan made another trip out of the warehouse, and returned with a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a jug of water and the promised bedpan.

He left her lying on the bare, dirty linoleum, not even bothering to settle her on the bed. She'd be cold and stiff when she woke… and she'd be all alone. Ryan made his way back over to him, radiating smug amusement. Impotent fury burned inside of Hatter, what he would give to get his hands on Ryan. _If I could manage to get me hand around his throat, I'd like to see if his head would pop off if I squeeze hard enough_, Hatter thought wistfully.

Ryan stood over him, sneering, "See. She's comfortable, like I said."

"You needn't have given her more of that poison," Hatter grated.

"This way we know she's nice and safe, and you won't be distracted," he smiled, Hatter looked into his eyes and saw little sanity remaining.

"Your turn _mate,_" Ryan said, his voice laden with sarcasm.

Hatter's eyes widened as he saw the needle, "What's this? How am I to lead you across if you've got me all drugged up?"

Ryan smirked, "Just a small amount. It will wear off, and by then we'll be far away from here."

"Bastard," Hatter growled.

Ryan laughed, "Oh come _on,_ I know the kind of things you have done. You have quite a reputation, you know. Do you think I'm going to take any chances with you?"

Hatter glared his response but kept his words behind his teeth. He knew better than to bait the sociopath. So much for his plan to take Ryan out before they left the building. Well, he'd always been quick thinking, he'd just have to think of something else… quickly.

Ryan stabbed the needle down into Hatter's thigh and depressed the plunger; the parameters of his vision darkened and narrowed into nothingness as the drug bit into his veins and lit them on fire. It burned and then was as ice, and then he felt nothing at all.

* * *

Hatter woke, confused and freezing. He shivered and rubbed his hands over his arms; he was no longer wearing a straight jacket, thankfully, but the thin t-shirt wasn't providing much in the way of protection from the elements. He was cold and sore and wherever he was, it was small and dark and the short carpeted floor was hard and rough against his cheek. Before he could quite assemble his thoughts to begin moving in a linear fashion again, the hatch opened and light streamed in. He blinked rapidly at the assault on his darkness adjusted vision; Hatter shielded his eyes and squinted at the figure hovering over him, his head haloed by halogen light.

Ryan peered down at him arrogantly, "Get out of the car. Let me remind you that you need a code from me to ensure Alice stays alive, and only my associate and I know her location. Think on that before you make any rash decisions. Oh, and he's waiting for my call before we cross over."

"And how do I know that you'll give me the code after I've done what you said?" Hatter demanded.

He didn't trust Ryan to deliver on his promises, not one bit. He'd entertained the idea of torturing him to get the code, but Ryan was so totally and completely mad that he was afraid all he would get out of him was a very dead Alice. It rankled, but he had to think of another way out. His best hope lay in the stash of emotion tea he hoped was still hidden safely away. If he could get the right combination into him, he might stand a chance.

"How do I know you won't just kill me when you get the chance? Maybe you think Alice can escape on her own? She won't, by the way. Maybe I should just kill her and let my contact have you instead. Might be safer," Ryan countered.

"No," Hatter glared up at him as he began to climb out of the rear compartment of Ryan's car, "I'll take you."

Hatter didn't recognize the neighborhood, but he figured that was the point. They were parked beneath a streetlamp behind an industrial building that could have been anywhere in the city. It was still dark outside, with no hint of dawn on the horizon. He scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed. At the moment, he was well and truly fucked.

If his leg had felt rotten before, now it was worse, thanks to the newest injection. His entire body ached and his head pounded relentlessly. It was difficult to think, but he had to have his wits about him for the journey. Wonderland would likely do all it could to prevent Ryan's entry, and Hatter would have to keep the sorry sod alive. He took a step and nearly fell, caught himself on the rear of the car before he fell to the ground.

"Don't suppose the journey can wait until I can walk again, yeah?" Hatter asked, leaning more heavily than necessary on the bumper of the car.

Ryan chuckled, "Nice try. Clock's ticking. Where to?"

Hatter closed his eyes and sighed, "Central Park," he knew it was no use to try to delay it.

* * *

Alice was in Hatter's arms and he was laughing, his dark chocolate eyes dancing with mirth and joy. He kissed her and smiled as she pulled him closer, her hands tunneling into his hair. He was safe and warm, and he smelled so good… she tugged him closer but her hands passed through him; he faded into mist and vanished into the night sky. Bereft, she looked for him, but he'd just vanished. She woke with a start and a devastating sense of disapointment and loss. Sure enough, Hatter was gone.

The last she remembered, Ryan had shot her again. She closed her eyes against the fluorescent lights and tried to remember it. Yes, she'd yelled for Hatter. She remembered. What she'd give to never see that look on his face again as he realized there was no way he could prevent what was happening to her. She hadn't yelled his name to ask for rescue, although she knew that was how Hatter would read it. She just didn't want to be stolen from him unawares.

She had to save him.

She tested the cuffs, but they were too snug to slip off of her wrists. She looked for the camera Ryan had pointed out; she didn't think it was at a good angle to catch much of her activities. If she was careful, she might be able to find a way out without ever showing up on camera at all. She had to try to get free, regardless. Worst case, she'd be kept drugged. Not pleasant, but the payoff if she was able to get free would be worth it.

The cuffs were solid, but the pipe they were connected to was loose enough for her to move it a little bit. Each time she yanked against it, a bit of drywall broke free. If she could get the pipe free of the wall, she could slip the cuffs. The cold metal bit into her wrist, bruising it, but she made progress. All she had was time, so she kicked and tugged and wiggled and hoped against hope that someone would come looking for her.

* * *

Hatter limped through the park as Ryan followed closely on his heels. He needed to find somewhere quiet and isolated so that he could concentrate. He left East drive behind him and headed straight for the trees; Ryan seemed uneasy, but Hatter didn't think the pair of them was a likely target for muggers. In his jeans and bloody t-shirt he looked as skint as many of the beggars he'd seen on the city streets, and Ryan wore nothing that would mark him as a worthwhile target.

He really wished for one or fifteen of Alice's little Tylenols; the concentration required for this was more than he was sure he could muster in his current condition. He sat tailor fashion in the grass and closed his eyes. Only people with a touch of Wonderland magic could find rabbit holes this way, and only people with more than just a touch could use it as a key to open the way across. Hatter wasn't sure if he had enough; he had never wanted to find out. He wasn't entirely sure he even knew _how._

Wonderland being Wonderland, the rules were sometimes bent if the need was great enough. The first Alice had been an Oyster through and through, but his land had needed her so it took her when she stumbled across one of the thin spots in the veil between their worlds. He would be willing to wager that _his_ Alice would have found her way across much the same way, that is, if she hadn't have fallen through the mirror chasing after that prat of a prince. Wonderland had a way of taking what it needed, and it had desperately needed his Alice.

Hatter had read accounts of those that had made the journey in the past. One thing had been common among them all… each journey was unique. Some fell straight through, and some climbed or flew or swam. There was no way to prepare or plan, and he doubted that his route would be as easy as simple fall. He didn't have that sort of luck.

"I'm getting impatient," Ryan stated, interrupting Hatter's concentration.

"Then shut up and let me do what I have to so I can get on with this, eh?" Hatter riposted.

Ryan glowered, but shut up and Hatter closed his eyes again and did his best to banish all the errant thoughts bouncing around inside his head. He reached inside and felt for the sense of Wonderland that told him that a rabbit hole was near. He'd felt it before as he walked in the park hand and hand with his Alice, but he'd thought it was his imagination. They had come to the park for a picnic in the sunshine, and as he closed his eyes and felt the sun on his skin and Alice's hands in his hair as they lay in the grass together, he had _felt_ that Wonderland was near with deep conviction. There was no mistaking it or discounting it.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to find a rabbit hole in Central Park, but it did. It had jolted him straight out of his comfort and relaxation and chilled him to the bone. Until then, he'd been sure that there was no way for him to cross back over, save for the mirror (which _should_ be closed.) He'd not even liked having the option available to him, but once he'd seen it, he couldn't un-see it. It seemed his foreboding was valid, after all. Look where it had gotten him.

He emptied his mind. Forgot all and everything but the moment he was in and the soul that animated him. The pain he let go of first, and then the fear and then frustration; the hardest to let go of was Alice. He felt it… there. Wonderland. He stood and walked towards the copse of trees that hid the entryway, laid his hand upon the portal disguised as a tree.

"This is the way. Make your call," Hatter said flatly.

"Show me first," Ryan demanded.

Hatter nodded and thought about how to open the doorway. He'd not spare a thought for what he'd do if he couldn't. He had no choice but to succeed. He looked down at his right hand and back up to Ryan, feeling the familiar tingle as his body longed to act upon the thoughts circling in his head. His synapses fired and connected the dots… he had his answer. He knew the way.

He cut his eyes towards Ryan, hatred simmering beneath the surface, "Might want to step back."

Not bothering to check to see if he had indeed followed his advice, Hatter turned to face the tree again and channeled every ounce of frustration and anger towards his right fist. It tingled and grew hot, ached to be set free. He drew back and let it fly unchecked. The tree splintered, a crack forming down the center. The crack widened and spread, revealing a passageway leading down through the earth.

Hatter turned to face Ryan, "Call," he growled, fire still burning behind his dark eyes.

White-faced and wide eyed, Ryan dialed and instructed his associate that Alice was now in his care, and that if he didn't receive a phone call with the proper code within three days time, he was to kill her.

"No. I need more time than that," Hatter bit out.

Ryan assessed him coolly, his composure regained, "Make that five days... and before you kill her, you can have your fun. Don't touch her until then, or you know what will happen."

Hatter pressed his lips together in a thin line at his words, "Let's go. It'll not stay open for long."

Ryan smirked, "You first."

Hatter descended down into the tunnel, hope dying with every step he took. The opening closed after a few short moments, leaving the two men in the semi-dark save for the slight phosphorescence coming from the cave walls. It seemed Wonderland would at least give them a slight concession, anyway. He'd promised himself he'd never come back, but now he was past the point of returning. He just hoped he wouldn't have to break any more promises before this was over.

TBC

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A/N: Well? What you think? So… Wonderland here we come. I struggled quite a bit with this, but I think you'll like where it goes. Oh, and I'll remind my nervous readers to trust me. *grins* Hopeless romantic….

**Please do review? Feed my poor muse? Does help speed the process, I promise. **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Here she is, a shiny new chapter. OMFG this one was just a pure beast to write, so I truly hope it comes across well. Talk about struggle! Gah!**

**For those of you that have read along and taken a moment to review… again, a million thank yous. You inspire me!**

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Chapter 22

Alice collapsed on the thin mattress, exhausted. She'd made some progress at pulling the pipe loose from the wall, but she was far from free. At this point her wrist was chaffed and bruised to the point where she had to stop trying, but at least she'd been left alone. Her intuition about the camera must have been correct. If anyone had been able to see the way she'd been attacking the wall to get loose, they would have been there in an instant. It gave her a small measure of hope.

She could use some hope, because right now all she wanted to do was curl up on herself and cry. The nausea wouldn't leave her; she'd already been sick more than once in the bedpan that Ryan had so _thoughtfully_ provided. To make it worse, it had started to rain, and the warehouse's roof wasn't in the best state of repair. Now she could add _wet_ to her list of indignities. Her bones ached and her head heart and she knew Hatter, wherever he was, probably felt much the same. She clenched her eyes shut as the pain hit her hard and fast. Where was her Hatter? Was he gone already? Had he crossed over to Wonderland while she'd been sleeping?

Hatter was in the clutches of a madman, and no one knew where either she or Hatter had disappeared to. By now, someone will have noticed they were missing and hopefully called the police. Her mother would be frantic, and she hated the thought of her mom going through this because of her. For Carol to lose Alice like she'd lost her husband would be devastating, and this time there was no Aunt Helen to get her through it. She hadn't even been able to say goodbye.

Alice hadn't been able to say goodbye to Hatter either, and she was terrified that she'd never see him again. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Hatter's face as she'd screamed his name. He'd been panic-stricken, and god, he'd looked so terrified. And it was for her, not for himself that he was afraid… because he thought if they were separated he probably would not be coming back to save her. She'd seen it in him, no matter how strongly he had denied it. She had to believe otherwise. Hatter was highly intelligent, resourceful, and as quick thinking as he was quick talking. If anyone could get them out of this, it would be him. She believed in him, but she didn't know how he would manage an escape.

Alice sighed and levered herself up off of the soggy mattress resolutely. She was not about to roll over and die and wait to be rescued like some sort of weak simpering fairytale princess. She wouldn't quit. She'd do her part, and if she could get free… she was coming for her Hatter, and she'd take out anyone that got in her way. She knew he'd do the same.

She wrapped her hand around the handcuff link and pulled, wincing as it dug into the bruised and abraded flesh. She bit her lip thoughtfully; there had to be a better way. Alice grabbed hold of the pipe in her left hand and lashed out against the wall with a powerful side kick, smiling fiercely as a large chunk of drywall crumbled away. Why hadn't she thought of that before?

* * *

Hatter trudged through the tunnel, focusing on finding his footing in the pale phosphorescence of the tunnel walls. His body ached, his head was killing him, and the knot in his hamstring showed no sign of loosening up anytime soon. Essentially, he felt as if he'd been trampled by a herd of horses. Twice. Backwards and forwards. The drugs he'd been given were rough on the body, not just the mind. He limped heavily, and not all of it was artifice.

He schooled his posture and bearing to suggest he was cowed, harmless and injured, but he was fairly certain Ryan was not buying it. Hatter knew people though, and as screwed up as Ryan was, some basic rules still applied. He may not consciously accept that Hatter was weakened, but his subconscious would see the cues he was giving with his body and adjust accordingly. Besides… it gave him something to concentrate on besides the white hot rage burning in the pit of his belly.

They'd been walking steadily downwards for at least a few hours time, as near as he could tell. He'd fully expected Wonderland to strike out at them on the journey, considering his escort. He'd read accounts of horrifying journeys through the rabbit holes, but so far, this was just tedious. It was almost as if Wonderland was trying to buy him some time, but although he appreciated the sentiment, time was not his friend. He had to hurry. His stomach dropped as it occurred to him that perhaps that was what Wonderland intended… to use up his five days on the journey. Alice would be dead before he could even set foot in Wonderland proper.

"How much further?" Ryan asked, breaking the silence.

Hatter shrugged in response, "I don't know. It's not predictable."

"Some guide you are," Ryan muttered under his breath.

Hatter smirked, but it fell from his face as quickly as it came.

Hatter reached out and trailed his hand along the wall of the cave. _Please__? I'm not asking for me. I need to save Alice_, he beseeched.

* * *

Erica hung up the telephone with a frustrated scream. She'd traced down a rental in Ryan's name, but her friend on the police force said they would have to get a warrant to check it, and there really wasn't any legitimate reason to get a warrant as of yet. It didn't help matters that she had to say she remembered Ryan talking about it; it didn't exactly lend an air of urgency to the lead. She couldn't exactly say she'd hacked the information.

Ryan had no legitimate reason she could see to rent a suite of offices in a storage warehouse. He was a student, for goodness sake. She'd hoped by calling one of her friends on the force directly with the lead it would help give it some weight, but his hands were tied. He _did_ promise to forward the info up as quickly as possible, but that was a small comfort.

She paced back and forth through the small apartment; she knew exactly what she _wanted _to do. She wanted to go check it out, but it probably wasn't safe. It definitely wasn't safe if her hunch proved correct. Torn, she sped her pacing; anything could happen to Alice and Hatter while they waited for the police to go check it out. She just knew they were in trouble, and she was probably the only one who knew where they might be. She called Dennis after a few more minutes of restless pacing, hoping she could convince him to at least come along to humor her.

* * *

Alice fell backwards with a shocked cry, landing hard on her ass as the handcuff slid free of the pipe it had been attached to. She was free. She was free! She jumped up and tore through the warehouse to the front door; she shrieked in frustrated disappointment as she tugged on the steel fire door futilely. She was locked in, and the only other door in the building was a twin to this one on the opposite side. Maybe it was open? She staggered to it, hoping that luck was smiling on her and _this_ one would be unlocked. No luck. None. Figured. She slid her back down the door until she was sitting and sighed, the crushing sense of defeat threatening to overwhelm her.

No. She didn't have time for this. Ryan's 'associate' would be coming for her. She had to think. _Think!_ Wait… there had to be something in the warehouse she could use to tap the pins out of the hinges… or alternately tap the brains out of anyone that came through that door. She knew she didn't have much time; she couldn't imagine that he had failed to see her pounding on the door. Alice forced her exhausted body into action, heading for the row of crates.

* * *

The man glanced over to the monitor, idly noting movement on the screen. Ryan hadn't given him a very good angle, and he was tempted to go to the warehouse and see the pretty little brunette in the flesh. Ryan had warned him against it, and as Evan well knew, Ryan didn't make idle threats.

He looked away from the monitor and back to the television screen where his movie was playing. At the moment, his movie was much more interesting to watch than the monitor, but he had watched it often enough for it to begin to lose its appeal. He needed another to add to his collection. He hadn't made a new one in almost a month. If he hadn't made the mistake of leaving them where Ryan could find them, he would already be making a new one instead of being stuck at home babysitting the girl on the monitor.

The girl on the television lay immobile on the bed, her eyes fixed in a wide open stare as Evan began removing her clothing. He'd especially liked this one, and when he dropped her off at the bar, she was already regaining consciousness and she'd not even recognized him. She'd let him help her into a cab, and she'd even thanked him. It struck him as funny, and he giggled, floating in his drugged haze as he watched himself commit crime after crime that he'd immortalized on video.

He was glad that his vet tech internship was good for something, even if he hated it. He'd stolen enough Ketamine to keep him in movies for a long time, even if he'd had to trade some to Ryan. It was worth it, though. The drugs Ryan were able to get for him were a lot easier on the mind and body than the K was. He just used it for the girls, not on himself.

He glanced over at the monitor again, temptation fighting for dominance. Ryan had been adamant that he leave the girl alone unless the right amount of time had passed. He hesitated to cross him, even when he was relatively certain that he would never know the difference. Ryan had been different since he'd gone missing and then reappeared mysteriously a week later. Harder… less understanding of Evan's needs.

Ryan had always been the more sensible and grounded one of the two brothers, but as of late, Evan had wondered if it was that was still the case. Ryan had just disappeared off the face of the earth one day, and then when he turned up on his doorstep a week later, homeless and broke, Evan hadn't hesitated to take him in. Ryan had covered for him and taken care of him their whole life. If Ryan needed a place to stay, well, he'd needed a new roommate anyway. He thought it would be like old times… but Ryan was different now.

Ryan would have never needed to threaten him before, but he had now. He called his beautiful movies 'leverage,' and threatened to turn in the copies he'd made of them if Evan crossed him. Evan believed him. He glanced at the monitor again. Pity the girl wasn't doing anything stupid like trying to escape.

Evan narrowed his eyes at the monitor, spotting a flurry of movement followed by the image of a girl running past the camera. The little brunette had gotten free. He grinned… that meant she was fair game. He would enjoy this. Evan loaded his trank gun with a full dosage; Ryan had warned him she was a black belt, even if she was a tiny thing. He had no desire to try to press his luck with her; he liked his victims unconscious. Besides, Ryan had said that if she tried anything he was to keep her drugged.

* * *

Of all the times for Dennis not to answer his phone, Erica fumed. She couldn't wait any longer. She left a message that she had found a lead and she was going to check it out, and that as soon as he got her message he should meet her there. She knew it was stupid to go in alone, but she was scared to death that if she didn't get over there that it would be too late. If someone was crazy enough to kidnap someone, they were likely crazy enough to do any number of bad things to them.

Erica parked her seventy-nine Dodge Dart at the nearest garage and walked towards the address she'd found listed under Ryan's name. She was just going to take a look at the place, and if she saw anything off about it, she was going to phone her friend the cop and tell him what she had seen. He'd be furious, but he'd come running. If she was wrong, then no harm was done. If she was right, it would be worth it.

First she circled around the block, wary and more than a little bit unsure of herself. For a genius, she certainly felt like this was not one of her most shining moments. Uneasy at what she had convinced herself to do, but unwilling to back down, Erica made her way to the front door of the old warehouse. Locked and padlocked, there was no way for her to get in without the aid of a crowbar and probably more muscle than she possessed. The smart thing to do would be to wait for Dennis.

Resigned, she headed back to her car. She'd wait in the garage for Dennis, and hope that Alice and Hatter could hang on just a little while longer. She hadn't made it but a hundred feet down the block when a car nearly as beat up as her own swung into the parking lot. She rounded the corner and circled back casually, curious if the man was going inside or was maybe just lost.

No, not lost. He grabbed a duffle back from the back seat and strode purposefully towards the front door, unlocked it and entered. Erica bounced on her heels. She _knew _she should wait for her husband, at the very least. She'd just take a peek inside, and then call Rob, her cop friend. She'd feel pretty stupid if she called him for no reason.

Erica jogged over and tried the door; he'd left it unlocked. She was just going to take a little look. She could always turn on the ditz act if she got busted and claim that she was lost. She cracked open the door cautiously, but she couldn't see anything beyond a non-descript entryway and another door. She figured that she was already in, so she might as well get a look at what lie inside.

* * *

The tunnel was widening, the floor and ceiling smoothing out and becoming more like stone than soil beneath their feet. Hatter's mind was working and puzzling as they descended into Wonderland and everything he'd tried so hard to leave behind him. Alice had wanted him to get help from Jack. He huffed to himself; he could hardly think of a less likely course of action. He preferred to trust himself and his own plans, even given their dodgy likelihood of success. At least it was a plan.

First, he'd have to take Ryan to his old shop and hope that his cache of special teas was undisturbed, and then he'd have to try to get him to drink it. He knew a tea head when he saw one, so he didn't think that part of it would prove too terribly difficult. The difficult part would be getting him drugged with the right amount of the right emotions so that he could get Alice's location out of him without him recognizing what he was doing. Once Ryan realized that there was no way to get him his emotions back for good he'd likely never give him the code he needed to find Alice, tea or no tea. This was his best hope, as far as he could see it.

If he could mix just the right amount of _Honesty _balanced with _Gratitude_, _Innocence_ and _Trust_… disguised behind some of his very special _Lust_. He'd have to be careful; if Ryan suspected anything, the jig would be very abruptly up. He'd already decided that trying to do what Ryan asked of him was likely impossible and he would bet anything that Ryan wouldn't be satisfied no matter what he did for him. Of course, if it didn't work then his options were a lot simpler… if of a less certain outcome.

He'd just have to torture the little wanker until he was reasonably satisfied that he had the answers he needed. It wasn't ideal, and Ryan was so insane that he sincerely doubted the truth of any information that he would get out of him _that_ way. It would be his last ditch option then, he decided. He just hoped that someone had found Alice, or that she had escaped somehow. He believed in her; if there was a way to escape she would find it.

The tunnel widened further, and Hatter spied light at the end. It looked like they had made it, and in one piece. Now they just had to see where Wonderland had dropped them.

* * *

Alice froze in place; someone was coming. She heard the scrape of a door opening, and then keys in the lock. She slipped beside the door, every muscle taut and ready. She wished she had a weapon of some sort, but the crates she'd kicked open had been full of upholstery fabric of all things. Her eyes lit on a broken two by four from the crate… of course. It was too late though; the door was already opening.

Alice went for a basic but reliable throw as soon as the man was through the door, her body a blur of movement born out of pure adrenaline and years of muscle memory. Alice was fast, but she had focused so intently on the figure coming through the door that she had failed to notice the water on the floor at her feet. She lost her footing, but still managed to trip up the man and take him down, although it was likely one of the least graceful throws she'd ever done.

He grabbed hold of her hair as he fell, and Alice yelled in pain before she could stop herself. She scrambled backwards to try and regain her footing, but the man on the floor didn't bother to get up; he just whipped out a gun from his pocket.

He leveled a twin to the trank gun Ryan had on her head, "Don't."

She raised her hands and stayed where she was as he pushed himself to standing. Alice gulped and tried to hide the fear rising inside of her. She met his gaze defiantly, waiting for his next move. From the look behind his cold gray eyes, she was right to be afraid.

* * *

Erica paused in the foyer, shifting from one foot to the next, hesitant to press her luck. What she _should_ do was just turn around and leave before the guy came back through the door she was still standing in front of guiltily. What was she going to say? Maybe, "Hi, I'm just selling some Girl Scout Cookies?" She had already turned to leave when she heard Alice scream out in pain. Without a thought for her own safety, she burst through the door, took in the sight of the guy holding a gun on Alice and dropped to the floor in a leg sweep. He dropped in a heap, a startled cry torn from him. Alice moved to grab the gun while Erica secured her assailant in an arm-bar.

"Got him, Alice!" Erica cried.

Alice crouched down to the man whimpering on pain on the floor, "Where has Ryan taken Hatter?" she demanded, her voice cracking with anger.

TBC

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A/N: Okay, so Alice is free, and Hatter is in Wonderland. Too bad she couldn't just call Hatter and tell him to kill Ryan's punk ass, eh? Nothing is ever that simple… oh, I think you'll like the ride though. *grins*

**What did you think? Please tell me if you liked it or hated it or anything else you'd like to add. My muse survives off of your kind reviews… Please feed her?**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Folks, I just want to say thanks for all those that have stuck by me and continued to read along. Special thanks for my ever-faithful reviewers. Your comments do mean a lot to me. Like, an embarrasing amount... My muse thanks you, too.**

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Chapter 23

A wide expanse of forest stretched out in front of them, and Hatter wasn't entirely sure if they were in the forest of Wabe proper, or if they were in the expansive wilderness that surrounded it. What he _did_ know was that the city on the far horizon was a few days journey away. It could have been worse, Hatter supposed. It was a long journey, but he had a clear direction to travel towards. He glanced to his captor and groaned… it _was _worse. After a few days on the road with _that_ prick and he'd likely want to kill himself and save Ryan the trouble. He eyed the bag Ryan carried over his shoulder; he hoped Ryan had enough sense to pack some necessary supplies.

"City is that way," Hatter pointed, "Looks like a couple of days away at least," he offered begrudgingly.

Ryan nodded, "You had better hope we make good time."

Hatter glared back at him, "You happen to have any horses hidden up your arse? Else we'll move as fast as you do."

Ryan snorted, "Waiting for you."

Hatter limped forward, wishing he was anywhere else. He forced his thoughts away from Alice; he was helpless to do anything to aid her at the moment. If he got caught up in thinking about her, he would make mistakes he could ill afford. He locked her away deep inside his heart; those thoughts had no place in the man he had to become to have any hope of returning to her.

* * *

Alice motioned for Erica to put more pressure on the lock she had on her assailant, "Where? Tell me where he is," Alice tried again when her earlier question only managed to elicit a head shake from the man.

"Who? I don't know! I don't know anything, I swear! Ryan just told me to watch you. I haven't even seen him since yesterday," he cried out.

Alice regarded the sniveling man, raking him with a disgusted sneer. He was probably telling the truth; he seemed like the lackey type to her. The police would get answers out of him, even if she couldn't.

Alice refocused on Erica, stark relief displacing her pain and anger, "How did you find me?"

"Don't ask," Erica replied with a self-satisfied grin.

"I'm_ really_ happy you're here. Do you have a phone?" she asked, glaring at the man lying still and silent on the floor.

He'd stopped squirming once he realized it just brought more pressure and pain on his arm and shoulder.

"I do," a deep heavily accented voice answered from the doorway.

"Dennis… I heard Alice scream… I couldn't wait," Erica explained sheepishly.

Dennis leveled a grim look on the man Erica had in the arm bar before turning his livid gaze on Erica. He let out a stream of angry words in Spanish, much too fast for her to follow. Alice only spoke a few words here and there as a remnant from fulfilling her high school language requirement, but Erica was fluent… and wincing. Alice caught enough of the gist of it to know it was a lecture, but she also saw the relief and fear that was behind it. She was fairly certain she'd caused that exact same reaction in Hatter on a number of occasions… he was just wise enough not to say all that he was thinking out loud.

Erica rolled her eyes, "I know. Later, okay? Kind of have a more pressing issue at the moment," she reminded, giving the Evan's arm a push for emphasis.

He cried out, and Dennis laughed, "You pick on these little girls for fun? Did it make you feel strong?" he taunted, "Pick on me instead," he growled.

Erica transferred the arm bar over to him gratefully; she was shaking from the adrenaline coursing through her system and all she really wanted to do was make sure that her friend was okay. She took her husband's comment with a grain of salt... she knew he was just trying to goad Alice's attacker.

Dennis drove his knee into the other man's back, and wrenched his arm far enough back that Alice heard the tendons pop, "You still say you don't know where Hatter is?" he questioned, his voice low and furious.

The man on the ground cried out again in pain, "No! I don't know! I would tell you!"

Erica began dialing her friend on the police force as soon as the transfer was complete. She figured it was probably the quickest way to get someone out there, even if it did mean she would have to listen to yet another lecture. Her friend promised a car would be on the way within minutes, and spared little time for anything else over the phone. She knew she'd get an earful later. As soon as she hung up, she flew at Alice and hugged her tightly.

Alice winced at the impact on her sore body but hugged her back, "Erica… that was probably the stupidest thing you have ever done. Thank you."

Erica nodded, her bottom lip trembling "I know, and I'd do it again."

* * *

Hatter stumbled as he forced his way through the thick vegetation. Driven by the intense desire to get to his goal, he was doing his best to ignore the pain and fatigue riding his body and the itching patches of dried sweat on his torso. They would need to stop soon; he could ignore the pain for as long as he had to, but not the hunger and thirst. His body would rebel if he'd not give it some sort of subsistence. He was breathing slightly harder than usual, but nothing like Ryan… who was trailing along behind him wheezing and gasping for air.

It cheered him to see Ryan struggling to keep up with him. It seemed as if Alice's martial arts lessons had benefited him more than he knew; if he wasn't fighting off the ill effects from being drugged and tightly bound, he would have left Ryan far behind. He decided if he ever got out of this, he was done making excuses to himself to get out of running with Alice. It seemed he was going to have to take up a new pastime. He took a few more steps and halted in the clearing that had opened up around them.

"We need to eat, and I hope you brought water in that pack," Hatter stated.

Ryan unzipped the pack and threw Hatter a bottle of water and a package of beef jerky.

Hatter quirked a disbelieving brow, "Tell me there is more than _this_. You have matches at least, right?"

"Yes I have matches," Ryan replied indignantly, "Can't you just kill something for us to eat?"

Hatter laughed caustically, "I'm a city boy. Guess we'll be noshin' on frogs and lizards, yeah?"

Hatter had once told Alice that he could eat just about anything, if he had to. Hopefully he wouldn't have to. He'd gotten very used to having a full belly and a soft and warm place to sleep at night, and he was loath to get reacquainted with sleeping in the open as his stomach gnawed on his spine. He had the package of dried meat, at least, but he could eat the entire packet without doing more than taking the edge off of his hunger.

Hatter stared towards the city thoughtfully; it would be at least two days journey… maybe three. He rationed himself half of the bag of jerky and tucked the remainder away in his pocket. He wanted to save some for the evening meal; he didn't anticipate having much else to supplement it. He wasn't joking about having to hunt for lizards; he'd never exactly been renowned for his wilderness skills. What he'd give for some of Charlie's barbequed borogove right about now… or just Charlie.

They got moving again while there was still some light in the sky; he truly hoped that they were not in the forest of Wabe, but he had the sneaking suspicion that they were. He'd not like to think about spending the night here with some of the things that made the wood their home. Strange creatures that had become mere legends in Wonderland proper still existed in the forest of Wabe. He'd heard stories of countless strange creatures; some of the more frightening were the Cheshire (which was more disconcerting than frightening, really), the Bandersnatch and flocks of raths to go along with the Jabberwock he already had seen firsthand… he'd really rather not meet _that _one again.

* * *

Alice was beginning to panic at the length of time that had passed since she'd gotten free. She needed to get home, but the police and her mother had insisted that a trip to the hospital was in order first. She'd given a brief statement of what had happened to her to the police, and then she'd had to answer countless questions from the nurses in the emergency room as they drew blood and checked her vitals and wrapped her wrist in gauze. None of it seemed important, but they just kept asking. Refusing care was out of the question with her mom there, but she was not about to stay a night in the hospital. Not with Hatter out there somewhere. Luckily, they cleared her with the caution that she needed to _take it easy_ and rest as much as possible.

It was late afternoon by the time she was released from the hospital. She called Rob, one of her friends at the police department, for an update. The police had gotten a warrant to search Ryan's apartment and she found out that his brother (and roommate) was the guy that Erica had taken out with a leg sweep. She didn't expect they would find any clues to Hatter's location there, or anywhere else for that matter. Alice's heart had sunk at the confirmation that Hatter had disappeared without a trace. She'd already known it, really, but hearing it out loud made it more true. Hatter would have been with Erica and Dennis if he'd gotten free, and nothing would have stopped him from getting to her. Still, she'd held out hope that maybe he'd gotten away, or he was still being held somewhere in her world, and that hope was now shattered.

Her mother had wanted Alice to come home with her; she was afraid to leave her alone. Alice confided that Ryan wanted Hatter to take him across to Wonderland and her mother was appropriately horrified and concerned for him. At least her mother had understood, but she was less understanding about the fact that Alice wanted to be in her own apartment. What she didn't tell her mom was that she was going after her Hatter, and she wasn't about to wait another minute. The police had confirmed it; he was missing, and they had no leads. Her friend Rob had promised to call her if they learned anything at all and the sympathy in his voice made her feel that much worse. She knew they wouldn't get any leads. He was gone. He'd taken Ryan back to Wonderland.

Alice froze as she opened the door to the stairwell; blood stained the walls and floor and a ragged hole in the wall marked where Hatter had tried and failed to defend himself… this was where Hatter had been taken. Alice reeled as it hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. She bent to touch a deep maroon spot on the floor but paused before her fingers made contact. She averted her eyes and took the stairs two at a time just to get away faster. It wouldn't help for her to dwell on what had already been done, she would get him back. She _had _to. She opened the door and stepped inside.

Facing the empty apartment was even harder than she thought it would be. Everywhere she looked, she saw reminders of Hatter. His cup in the sink, his jacket draped over the back of the chair in the bedroom. A hard lump rose in her throat; she tried to swallow it down. It would be alright, she was coming after him. The only reason Ryan had any leverage on Hatter at all was because of _her_. All she had to do was find him, and she knew a certain knight that could find anything. Once she found him, they could get home, and then put all this behind them.

She lifted her chin and let the determination and sense of purpose wash away the sorrow. She could do this. Hatter had chosen to chase after her and put his life on the line for her countless times; she would save him this time. Everything within her was screaming for her to _hurry, _but Alice forced herself to stop and think about what she would need. She had the luxury of knowing about _this_ journey to Wonderland prior to arriving there, and she wanted to be prepared this time.

She packed food, a lighter, and some first aid supplies in her backpack. After a moment's thought she fastened a couple of gold necklaces around her neck and tucked them under her shirt. She didn't have a lot in the way of jewelry, and she wasn't about to part with anything that Hatter had given her. Wonderland didn't use the same sort of currency; most things were bought by trade, and gold was the most valuable thing she owned, aside from her engagement ring. She'd once asked Hatter why he didn't wear rings in her world (aside from his engagement ring) when he'd worn so many in his. He had explained that he'd always worn a few rings so that if he needed to buy anything, he had the means with him. For once, his accessories hadn't been about fashion, but about practicality.

She hurried to the bedroom and selected jeans, a t-shirt with a light cardigan over top, and her Converse. She wasn't going to be running around all of Wonderland in heels again, that was for sure. After another moment's thought she grabbed one of Hatter's numerous leather jackets and the brown tweed trilby that Erica had handed her on the ride home from the police department. She shrugged the jacket on, inhaling Hatter's scent and settled the trilby atop her head. He'd want a hat, when she found him, and his coat was warmth and comfort for her.

Alice dug in the back of her closet and pulled out the boots she'd ruined on her trip to Wonderland. She tipped the right boot upside down and caught the transport talisman in her hand. It still didn't look like much to her, but Jack had promised it would get her back. It was a one person one way ticket, and Alice was well aware of that, but Jack owed them both, and she believed he'd send them home. Hatter would be coming home with her, no matter what problems he and Jack had with each other. It didn't matter, anyway. She was going. She left a note for her mother, so that she would know that Alice planned to return. After a moment's thought, she called Erica.

She had sidestepped many of Erica's questions so far, but luckily she thought that Ryan's motivation for the kidnapping was driven by spite. She knew that Erica had her suspicions about Hatter, and Hatter had told her that Erica witnessed his little demonstration of his sledgehammer right punch he'd given for her mother. Still, she was hesitant to just come right out with his secret. It wasn't hers to tell, for one, and second, it was a difficult thing to believe.

Alice knew that this trip to Wonderland could take longer than she meant it to. Although the glass could be calibrated, she wasn't entirely certain that it was how they would be making the return trip. If Hatter was right about Jack (and she had to allow that possibility into her reasoning), they may have to get back home another way. Hatter knew how to use the rabbit holes, but those couldn't be calibrated at all, and the passengers were subject to the whim of Wonderland magic. Hatter would be crushed if his tea shop went under while he was away, and so would Alice. They had both sunk everything they had into the enterprise, and he would want it to be left in good hands.

Erica was the only solution she could come up with. She'd leave the care and running of _Specialty Teas and Imports_ to her and James in the event that she and Hatter didn't make it back in a reasonable amount of time. She also wanted someone else to have an idea of where she'd gone. Her note to her mother had been brief and to the point. She'd written that she was going after Hatter, and she loved her. She steeled herself for the conversation, but she was committed to her course of action. Besides, Erica had already said hello twice while she got up the courage to speak.

"Erica… I need to tell you something about Hatter, and I need a favor," she said. "Another favor," she amended.

"What do you need? Are you okay?" Erica's concern was clear in her voice, and Alice knew she would say yes to whatever she asked of her.

"I'm as good as I can be," she admitted, "I need you to watch the shop for a little while. I'm going after Hatter… I know where he is," she spit out before she could lose her nerve.

"Of course I'll watch the shop, but you need to call the police if you know where Hatter is," Erica answered.

"Well, see… that's the thing that I needed to tell you about Hatter. They can't go look for him where he is… he's not actually from… um… our world," Alice finished tentatively.

Silence answered her. She chewed on her lip as she waited for the inevitable disbelief and accusations that she'd gone over the deep end.

"How do you know?" Erica asked carefully.

"Um… I sort of met him there," she replied.

"What? Like an alternate reality or parallel universe or something?" Erica clarified.

Alice was thankful that Erica was a giant sci-fi fan; it made this explanation just a little bit easier.

"Yes, exactly like that. Look, I don't have time to explain it all, but I have a way to follow him," she replied.

"I'm guessing you don't want my help?" Erica lamented.

"No. Not this time. I need you here," Alice explained.

"Okay, whatever you need; just bring him home," Erica acquiesced, a few beats later.

"You believe me?" Alice questioned, stunned at Erica's ready acceptance.

"You forget that I work with Hatter every day. He's more than _a little bit_ different, and I saw him put his _fist through a dumpster, _I can take some things on faith,_" _Erica laughed.

* * *

Hatter had managed to catch himself a lizard for dinner, and it was a fairly good sized one at that. Ryan outright refused to even attempt to eat lizard meat, and Hatter just told him it was his loss. As it roasted over the fire, Hatter chewed on the remainder of his dried beef. He was pleased that Ryan had refused the offer of food; it would be better if he was hungry and weak. Tomorrow, he would be sore from walking such a long distance. Wonderlanders were largely acclimated to it, as ground transport was limited to horses and the occasional bicycle. Hatter took perverse pleasure in anything that caused Ryan to suffer.

Hatter didn't make the offer of lizard meat again as he took the blackened lizard-kabob from the fire. Ryan smirked and pulled out a sandwich from his backpack.

"Just enough for me, sorry about that. Next time I'll pack better. Enjoy your lizard," Ryan smirked.

Hatter's eyes narrowed; _what a fucking knob._

Hatter smiled mockingly and raised the lizard in salute, "Cheers," he sneered as he bit into the lizard.

_Yes, I'm sure I could just pop his head right off, _he thought as he chewed and swallowed, trying not to taste or think about what he was eating.

* * *

Alice found her way to the construction site with less trouble than she anticipated. Her feet found the way seemingly of their own accord. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest; she didn't know if the mirror would still be there, after all this time. She'd been amazed to find that the building was still under construction; it looked much the same as it did the last time she'd been in it. She inhaled deeply to fortify her nerves and strode towards the room that had held the mirror. She'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't scared. She was terrified, and even more so when she spotted the mirror resting against the far wall. It gave her pause; Jack must have someone still working on this side of the glass. Hopefully, the mirror was still active, and she'd be allowed to cross.

Alice braced herself as she leaned forward into the glass, already anticipating the stomach dropping sensation of falling. It didn't come. The glass was cold, solid and impenetrable. Fear and dread washed through her in quick succession. She dropped to her knees and slammed her fisted hand against the glass as she heard a cry as if from somewhere far away. She didn't even recognize her own voice. Numb, she stared back at her own reflection. The woman in the mirror looked shell shocked, frozen. Inside her mind she was screaming, sobbing… but she couldn't force her dead limbs to move. She couldn't cross, and he was gone. He was gone. How could he be gone?

**TBC**

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A/N: Well you didn't really think it would be as easy as just using the talisman to cross did you? Twisty me. Twisty twisty. Sooo… poor Hatter has to deal with the ass-hat Ryan, and Alice has to try and figure out another way to get to him. Too bad Hatter didn't leave instructions. Ah, well. She's a bright thing…

**Please do review if you liked this? (or not…) Please feed my muse? She is **_**so**_** demanding.**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Wow, big chapter. Sorry it took so long, but wow big chapter, eh? Hope it's worth the wait. *bites nails* It's late, so I didn't do my last minute typo/content check... hope I didn't miss things, but I'll catch 'em tomorrow. Hate to make you wait.**

**As always, thanks so much to those of you that review! Wet!Hatters for all of you! (Gonna have to work another one in, aren't I?)**

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Chapter 24

Alice wasn't sure how long she had spent staring at herself in the glass, but her legs had gone numb beneath her. Somehow, she got back home, and now she found herself standing in her kitchen, wondering how she could make herself eat or drink when Hatter was gone. Wondered how she could make herself do _anything_ besides cry. The words circled round her mind, leaving room for nothing else. Hatter was gone.

She had to eat. She had to, and she knew it. Hatter would want her to keep up her strength. She could almost hear his voice as he lectured her that she didn't take care of herself properly, and that she'd likely starve if he wasn't there to make her eat. She pulled in a broken breath and closed her eyes. She had to shake this feeling of helpless misery; she'd try the mirror again. Maybe it had just been a bad time. Technical adjustments or something…

She settled on drinking a cup of tea, not able to stomach the thought of food just yet. When she opened the cabinet door and saw the jars of tea neatly labeled in Hatter's narrow angular script, she about lost it all over again. She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled and exhaled slowly. She chose _Comfort_, deciding that was what she most needed as she swallowed down the lump in her throat. Her hands shook as she took down the delicate porcelain cup Hatter always served her tea in, and put on the kettle.

The whistle caused her to start; she'd lost track of time again. She poured the water and waited for the proper color to rise. Alice closed her eyes as she took a sip, letting the familiar comforting flavors of chocolate and cardamom wash through her. She couldn't make herself eat, no matter how badly she needed to. All she really wanted to do was to curl up in her bed and sob. She couldn't do that. It wouldn't help.

She had to pull herself out of this if she was going to figure out a way to get him back. There had to be a way to get him back. She knew it, but in this moment she lost the fight against the tide of overwhelming despair threatening to crash down over her. It was simply too much for her. She had to let it out before it tore her apart from the inside out. She left hat, coat and shoes on the floor next to the bed as she crawled in on Hatter's side. His pillow still smelled of him. She curled up around it and let herself cry.

* * *

Hatter's teeth chattered, but if he moved any closer to the fire he'd be uncomfortably close to Ryan. What would have been nice is if Ryan had given him his jacket back before they left for Wonderland, but he hadn't, so Hatter was left to suffer the chill night in only a thin t-shirt. He leaned back against the tree trunk, attempting to get at least a little bit more comfortable. Ryan was snoring, and he thought he'd never been more tempted to choke someone.

He tried not to think of Alice, but alone in the dark it was hard to think of anything else. He hoped she had managed to escape, he hoped she was okay. She had to be. The worst part of it was that because of the disparity between the way time passed between her world and his, for all he knew the time limit might have already expired. No help for it. He would just have to have hope, and to believe in Alice's remarkable ability to find her way out of impossible situations. If he'd not known better, he'd swear she must have had a touch of the Wonderland magic herself… but it was all just his Alice. Stubborn, willful, obstinate… beautiful, brave and kind Alice. His chest ached; he missed her. He had to find a way back to her.

Hatter ended up dropping off into sleep eventually, but his dreams were fitful and filled with images of his Alice. He saw her screaming out for him again, and again he couldn't save her. He saw her lying pale and listless… drugged into a stupor. He even dreamed he saw her back at their flat, curled up around his pillow as she sobbed. It broke his heart into a million pieces, even though he knew it was just a dream. He'd like to think that Alice being safe in their flat was real, even if he'd give anything to stop her heart wrenching tears.

* * *

Alice inhaled Hatter's scent deep into her lungs; she smiled as she began to wake. She was safe and warm with Hatter curled up next to her; her favorite place to be. She reached out a hand to touch him, a reassurance that he was still there by her side. Her hand met empty cold sheets. Confused, she cracked her eyes to find him and winced as her gummy eyes refused to open. She pressed the heels of her hands to them; they were gritty and sore, and her vision was just a blur. Then it hit her. Hatter was gone.

She drew in a ragged hitching breath. It was alright, she tried to convince herself. She would eat something, wash her face, brush her hair and then she would try again. She had to try it again. Jack had told her she could use the stone to get across… it was its own power source. It _should_ have worked. Maybe she hadn't done it right. She couldn't give up on him.

* * *

Hatter bit back a cry as he shifted upon waking; his muscles had stiffened from sleeping curled in a ball around himself. He grimaced as he unfolded his body and stretched. It was still dark, but the sun would be rising soon. The inky blackness of night had already faded to hues of purple and blue. Ryan was still sleeping, so he figured it was an opportune time to try to find himself some breakfast. He smirked as he thought of what Ryan would think to wake up alone; it would be good to give him a scare.

He was afraid it was going to be more lizard barbeque for breakfast, but after searching in a different direction than he had last night, he came across a ruin of a manor home. What he would have given to have found it last night… but more importantly, some of the fruit trees actually held fruit on their branches. Food. A few kumquats hung from the tree that had probably been planted for ornamentation originally, and a giant bread-and-butterfly fruit tree still bore fruit on its branches.

He'd sworn he had seen bread-and-butterfly fruit in the exotic fruits section of the market where he and Alice did their grocery shopping, but Alice had called it a 'durian fruit.' She'd vetoed his desire to buy one so he could see if it was the same, stating the intense stench that it emitted as grounds for his eviction from the flat if he were to open it indoors. He'd laughed at the time, and commented that it probably was the same thing, then. Wonderlanders would not usually eat it themselves, but cultivated the trees to attract bread-and-butterflies. Growing them had turned from favor, once the insects become increasingly rare, and such leisurely pursuits as butterfly watching had fallen away under the new regime of the Heart family anyway.

Hatter gorged himself on kumquats, their sour bite much better than a breakfast of lizard any day. He stuffed the remaining few in his jeans pockets for later. Grinning, he harvested a couple of the bread-and-butterfly fruits. If Ryan thought that eating the lizard was nasty, just wait until he got a whiff of _them_. He didn't relish the thought of eating it himself, but it was energy… and making Ryan suffer any way he could was worth it. If one could get past the rotten onion smell, and the thick custardy flesh, the taste itself wasn't _that_ bad. Well, not bad except for the underlying flavor of rancidity.

Hatter entered the manor house, surprised to see it had been left mostly undisturbed. It was yet another fallen relic of the old times before the war of White and Red. People used to live in these woods, when there were still knights actively patrolling them. The wild had taken over, reclaiming all evidence that it had once been tamer. At first glance, the ivy cascading over both the heavy twisted columns of the entry, once grand and imposing, and the rainbow-hued ceramic tiled roof camouflaged the manor house so it appeared as a part of the rest of the forest. It was easy to miss, but Hatter looked deeper than most.

He moved into the old house cautiously; it looked as if would fall down around his ears at any moment. He hoped to find provisions of some sort; Ryan had been woefully unprepared for a trek through the forest. Hatter suspected that Wonderland itself had something to do with that… Ryan was no friend of the land. Hatter figured he'd probably not warrant much affection either, but he supposed he should just be grateful that that had emerged from the rabbit hole intact.

The holes in the battered roof let in enough light so that he could make out the contents of the house, but after a brief recon, he didn't think he'd find anything useful. The fabrics hanging from the broken windows were decayed to mere threads, as was the upholstery. So much for his hope for a blanket. He headed to what must have been the kitchen, intent on finding something that he could carry water in. He'd spied a well and hand pump on the side of the house, and he would be glad not to rely solely on the rapidly vanishing water in the bottle Ryan had tossed him.

He was about to resort to using an ancient saucepan as a temporary vessel, when he spotted a canteen wedged in between two iron skillets in the pantry. He grinned in satisfaction as he rescued it along with a mostly sharp kitchen knife, complete with sheath. He tucked the knife into his boot, secured the canteen to his belt, and then toured the rest of the manor house, hoping his luck would hold out.

Hatter froze in mid-step as he spotted a moldering skeleton clad in the remnants of the armor of the white knights, a genuine broadsword laid across its lap. It seemed as if this one hadn't been cut down along with his compatriots on the battlefield. He spared a moment to wonder about it, but he had other concerns more pressing. It was getting later, and he'd not want Ryan to get impatient and wander off. Shrugging, he took the sword from the skeleton's lap with a muttered apology and a word of thanks. The knight would likely not be needing it anytime soon, but Hatter probably would.

He made a last circuit of the house to be sure there was not anything else he could use left inside. Aside from the sword and canteen, some pots and pans, and rotting furniture, there was little else that had survived the ravages of time. Hatter buckled the metal belt and scabbard around his waist. The metal was rusted in spots, especially where it was riveted at the articulation points, but it had survived remarkably well. The sword itself had not even a spot of rust, and it was still razor sharp. The knight must have oiled it well before storing it… or perhaps it was another engineering feat of the lost kingdom that was now gone forever.

Hatter made his way over to the well and tried to draw water from the ancient pump, but the mechanism was seized. He'd had to punch it to break it free, but that had done the trick. He was afraid the water might be brackish or the well spoiled, but after a few draws the brownish-red water cleared. He sampled it and found it sweet and good. He drank his fill, then filled the canteen and his water bottle and headed back to camp. The sun was breaking the horizon, and if Ryan wasn't already awake, he would be soon.

Ryan was still sleeping when Hatter made his way back to the camp. Hatter dropped the large spiny fruit on the ground next to the fire, smirking as Ryan jolted awake.

"Breakfast. Eat quickly, we have a lot of ground to cover," Hatter stated as he dropped down in a crouch next to the fire to warm his hands.

"What is it? And where did you get the sword?" Ryan demanded after he took a few moments shake the haze of sleep.

"Bread-and-butterfly fruit, and I found the sword in some ruins nearby. Nothing else of use, though. Good thing you are so well equipped for this journey, eh?" Hatter added acerbically.

"I'll take the sword," Ryan responded.

Hatter gave him an incredulous sneer, "The hell you will. If we run into trouble, you will be useless. I keep the sword," Hatter argued, dismissing Ryan's posturing.

"Did you forget that I make the rules here?" Ryan fumed, color rising in his cheeks.

Hatter smirked, which only served to infuriate Ryan further.

"Give it to me," Ryan demanded.

"I'm your guide, yeah? So I keep the sword," Hatter replied, his tone clipped and biting.

"You must never want to see that bitch of yours again," Ryan threatened.

Hatter's blood boiled, but he just showed Ryan a smug smile, "Fine. You think you can use it? Show me, and then I'll not even argue."

Hatter pulled the sword from the sheath and flicked it over and across his body in a standard figure eight before re-sheathing it. He was no real swordsman, but he knew enough to get by, and the figure eight looked flashy enough. More importantly, he was strong enough to handle the blade, and he doubted that Ryan was.

He raised his eyebrows at Ryan challengingly, unbuckled the belt and tossed it one handed to Ryan, "But I'll remind you… if you fancy surviving, you'll put away your sizable ego and give the sword to someone who can use it."

Ryan staggered as he caught the weapon, but tried to cover it by taking a step backwards. He pulled the sword from the sheath and tried to lift it in an imitation of Hatter's maneuver, but Ryan didn't have the hand and wrist strength necessary to reproduce it. Even holding it aloft caused his arm to shake. Ryan tossed the sword at Hatter's feet wordlessly. Hatter gripped it, spun around and cleaved the large bread-and-butter fruit in half in one fluid motion.

Hatter cleaned the blade, sheathed it and buckled it back around his hips, "Like I said. Breakfast."

Ryan's face was already tinged green from the stench wafting up from the fruit, "It's rotten," he choked out.

Hatter dipped a finger into the thick beige goo and stuck it in his mouth, "No. This is just how they smell. Feel free not to eat it. Hope you have more food in that thing," he commented, pointing at Ryan's bag.

Hatter hid his revulsion as he ate, glad of the stiff breeze blowing through the trees that carried most of the smell away. Ryan hadn't even the sense to realize that he was directly upwind, and Hatter didn't bother to inform him of it. After a few long moments, Ryan picked up the spiny fruit and took a hesitant bite. He gagged, but took another. Hatter didn't bother to hide his amusement.

* * *

Alice sat at the kitchen table, methodically chewing and swallowing her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Her stomach twisted and rebelled, but she knew she needed to eat. Her eyes strayed to the photo album on the bookcase; she knew it wouldn't help to look at pictures of him. She knew it, but she had the album open and in front of her before her mind could formulate the necessary arguments to keep her body from acting on the impulsive desire to see his face again. She flipped to the back, and there he was… smiling at her roguishly, all crooked grin and dimple and twinkling eyes.

She was a good photographer; it had been a side hobby of hers for years, although she seldom picked up a camera these days. She had taken loads of pictures of Hatter, attempting to capture him as best she could on film. Even in the best ones, she still could never quite get it. It was his spark… his vitality and animation that the photographs lacked. Hatter was always in motion, and a still image would always pale in comparison.

The best one had been a candid shot of them both. Erica had taken it when Hatter and Dennis had driven down to Nationals to pick them up. They had been waiting by the curb for Dennis to pull the car up. Alice had her arms wrapped around his waist, underneath his jacket, and his hands rested on her upper arms. Alice was looking up at him, beaming in happiness, and the complete love and adoration in his face as he looked back down at her made her heart pound, even now. She shut the album with a snap. She had to find him.

Before she was even able to get to the bedroom, a knock sounded at the door. She furrowed her brow, confused at the unexpected interruption.

"Who is it," Alice called out.

"It's Rob Hutchins. I brought your phone," he called out through the door.

Alice hurried to open it, hoping he might have some news. She invited him in, and offered him something to drink after a moment's thought. Her manners were too deeply ingrained to allow her to forget to offer, even at a time like this, but he declined. He was in his police uniform, and he was on his way into work. He said he'd just wanted to tell her what he'd found out in person.

What his information amounted to was that the police had found video evidence of Evan Shipley's sex crimes. They had reason to believe that Ryan Shipley was heavily involved in the production of the films and the enablement of the crimes, and that Alice had been very, very lucky. Alice thought Evan was the lucky one; if she would have known about his history, she would have snapped his arm in two.

He handed her back her phone and promised to call her if he learned anything, no matter how minor.

* * *

The knot in Hatter's thigh from the Ketamine injection had finally worked itself out, and traversing through the forest had loosened up the rest of his muscles so that he was finally able to move without wincing with every step. Thanks to his early morning discovery, he had a truly full stomach for the first time in days. He was determined to make use of his regained mobility and strength to get him to the city as quickly as possible. If Ryan had to struggle a little bit to keep up, so be it. All the better. He'd abandoned trying to act as if he was weaker or more injured than he was. Staying alive was a higher priority than any advantage the deception gave him.

He felt it, when the forest changed. If he was not quite certain that they were in the forest of Wabe before, he was now. The air felt thicker… heavy and oppressive. The trees grew closer together, and the underbrush was dense to the point that in some areas it was impenetrable. Shadows deepened as the forest closed in around them, choking the light from the sky. Hatter sped his pace, uneasy at the prospect of staying in the wood one moment longer than necessary.

Hatter breathed heavily as he forged through the thick undergrowth, but he maintained his speed. He swore the forest itself was trying to slow him; he watched in abject horror as branches that were nowhere near him suddenly moved towards him as he passed by to grab at his clothing and scratch his skin. In short order, his arms were covered in shallow abrasions. The sole consolation was that if he was getting his fair share of abuse, Ryan was getting pummeled. Last time Hatter had glanced back to check on him, blood was flowing freely from his cheek and one of his hands.

"Slow down. You're going too fast," Ryan called out from far behind him.

Hatter flashed a two fingered salute over his shoulder and kept moving. He did his best to ignore the sweat that dripped into his eyes, or how the thin t-shirt stuck to his back and stomach, damp and itchy. He just knew he had to keep moving, before they ran into something bigger and badder than he was. From the stories he'd heard about Wabe, that would be just about anything that made the forest its home. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he heard Ryan call out again. Something was watching them.

He stopped and waited for Ryan, furious that the idiot couldn't sense that this was _not_ the place to be shouting.

Ryan bitched and whinged as he walked towards where Hatter waited for him. Incised, Hatter gritted his teeth until Ryan was close enough for him to speak without raising his voice.

Hatter glowered threateningly as he turned to face Ryan, his hands balled into tight fists to keep them from wrapping around his neck, "Shut. Up. Now."

"Shut up? If you think-" Ryan began.

"Shut the fuck up, you moron," Hatter cut him off, "Something is watching us. There are things in this wood that could eat you before you have a chance to scream, so trust me when I tell you that you need to shut your gob. We need to get out of here, and quickly. Keep up, and shut up," Hatter hissed, his voice low and deadly serious.

Ryan looked around nervously before he buried it under false bravado, "Go ahead then, but at least _attempt_ do a better job at breaking the trail," he ordered pompously.

Hatter snorted, not dignifying him with an answer. He pulled the sword from the scabbard, hoping that whatever was watching them knew the bite of steel, and would look elsewhere for a meal.

* * *

Again dressed for a journey to Wonderland, Alice walked the short distance to the construction site. As before, the mirror refused to allow her entry through the glass, but she wasn't going to give up. It _would_ open for her. She pounded her fist on the glass.

"Hey! Let me in! I need to get back!" Alice shouted.

Her reflection stared back at her, mocking her.

She screamed in frustration, and beat on it again, but the glass stayed cold and empty. She stared at herself in the mirror, a far cry from the calm, cool and collected image she usually portrayed to the world.

She hung her head, distraught. She didn't know where to go from there. Should she just wait in front of the mirror and keep trying?

Her phone rang, startling a yelp out of her. She didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" she answered; she forced her voice to sound normal, and mostly succeeded.

"Alice? It's Rob," he said.

"You find something?" She asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, but it's a very small lead, alright?" he cautioned.

Alice's breath caught; a lead, no matter how small, was _something._

"Okay," she replied.

"A witness saw two men matching the description of your fiancé and Ryan Shipley entering Central Park, on East street at dawn yesterday. The witness is a regular customer of the tea shop. She said she comes by every morning for her tea latte, and she was certain it was them," he detailed.

Alice sank down to the concrete floor, stunned. Central Park. It was a big area, but at least it was a start. She would canvass the park, and just maybe she could find an indication that he'd been there. It was an alternative, something other than a dead end. It was a thin twisted line of hope, but she grasped it and held on tightly. Anything was better than the bitter pill of helpless frustration that came with knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do to get him back.

* * *

Alice wandered aimlessly through Central Park, hoping that some sign would leap out at her. _Maybe a white rabbit,_ she thought wryly. If she found a way to cross over, she would have to find Jack first. He could give her loan of Charlie, and he could also probably loan her a horse. Hatter had been adamant that Jack should be avoided at all costs, but he didn't know Jack. Not the real Jack. To be fair, she wasn't sure she did either, but she didn't think he would ever hurt her. Jack owed her is entire kingdom, when she got right down to it. If she asked for his help, he would give it, _and_ she'd get him to fix Hatter's records for good measure.

Alice paused in a clearing she recognized; she'd been there before… with Hatter. And there was something… something important about it. Something about Hatter. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the details of the memory. They had come to the park for a picnic, and they were lying back to enjoy the sunshine. Hatter had given a violent shiver and then had sat bolt upright and stared around him wildly. He'd told her it was nothing, just a chill, but she hadn't been entirely convinced. A chill wouldn't have caused the haunted, hunted look in his eyes. Every time they passed near this place, he'd always held her closer to him. It meant something.

He must have sensed a rabbit hole. Why else would he be in Central Park with Ryan? Why here, in this place where they had been together? It was here; she knew it. She just had to find it. _How in the hell was she going to find it? _Before she had even been able to finish the thought, she felt warmth radiating from the transport talisman in her jeans pocket. Alice retrieved it and held it in her palm. It still looked like an innocuous chunk of rock, but it was most definitely getting warm. She took a few steps forward, and it cooled. She frowned to herself and moved back to her former location; it warmed again.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she continued moving, aided by the guidance of the talisman. It let her to a small copse of trees… one of which had a blackened streak marring the bark. She frowned as the stone grew so hot she could barely hold it as she stood in front of the marked tree, but as soon as she walked around it, it went cold.

She knelt down in front of the tree to get a closer look at the discoloration on the bark, hoping to find another sign as to which direction to go from there. She thought she saw a gold coin, of all things, on the ground at the tree's base. She bent to pick it up and slipped, catching her balance with the hand that held the transport talisman. The ground below her dissolved; the world was spinning before she could draw breath to scream.

Vertigo, light and a riot of color came at her from all directions. She finally found her voice to scream, and then couldn't stop. Terrified, her higher brain function was too stunned to try to make sense of what was happening to her. She landed hard, but the surface was soft and yielding. Alice gasped and stared around her in shock. She'd landed in someone's bed, and she hoped whoever it belonged to wasn't going to be angry about it. Was she in Wonderland? Was it the tree? Had she just gone through a rabbit hole that led to a… round porno bed?

The doors to the chamber were opening. _Shit!_ She briefly considered hiding under the satin sheets, but it would be tantamount to an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. She settled for getting her limbs arranged into a sitting position and a quick pass of her hand over her pony tailed hair. She set her face into a calm and haughty expression. She'd just ask to be taken to Jack. No problem.

The red double doors swung open; it seemed she wouldn't have to call for Jack after all. He was standing directly in front of her, along with the Duchess. Judging by the diaphanous red and white dress embroidered with hearts and diamonds, the Duchess had just become the Queen. Alice knew a wedding dress when she saw one. Lovely. Dumped in their bed on their wedding day.

"Alice!" Jack exclaimed.

TBC

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A/N: Okay, dying here. What did you think? Yes, yes, I know… but this chapter was getting loooong. So Alice is back in Wonderland. *smirks* Hmmm.

**Please tell me what you thought? Feed my poor muse?**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait, folks. Had one hell of a week. I worked harder than I thought I would have to on this one, and I hope you like it. Thanks so much for reading, and thanks as always, to those that review and keep me motivated. :) **

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Chapter 25

Hatter paused, searching the forest for the cause of the uneasy, hunted sensation creeping up his spine. Something was most definitely watching them, and the hair still standing up at the back of his neck told him clearly that whatever it was, it wasn't friendly. He tried to listen to the sounds of the forest, but all he could hear was Ryan's gasping breaths and little sounds of distress. He glared at him over his shoulder and brought his finger to his lips in a warning for silence. Hatter held up a hand, motioning for him to stay put as he circled their location.

Hatter listened and watched as he crept through the thick foliage, beyond annoyed that he had to protect the imbecile Ryan… who was currently whistling under his breath as he waited. It would serve him right if he got eaten, but it wouldn't help Alice. He ignored the stinging sweat that continued to drip into his eyes and had set the little cuts covering his arms on fire. He glanced down at his arms; he was bleeding outright now, just as Ryan was. _Damn. _The blood would surely attract any creatures that were in the area.

The forest had closed around them so completely that Hatter was no longer able to use the view of the city as a clear direction of travel, and he was now unsure of their direction. What they needed to do was to find the Tulgey River. If he could locate it, that would mean a clean water source for them, and more importantly, a path to follow directly to the city. The last thing Hatter wanted to do was to get lost and spend the little precious time he had wandering around in circles.

He paused to allow Ryan a moment to catch up to him, taking the opportunity to catch his breath and take a swig of water.

"Watch for a river," he said shortly as Ryan finally reached his side.

"We need to stop," Ryan gasped, one hand pressed to his side.

Hatter raked him with a disgusted sneer, "One moment, no more, Nancy boy. We've got no time."

Ryan looked as if he might argue, but as tried to meet Hatter's glower with one of his own, he shut his mouth with an audible snap. Hatter wasn't sure what he saw in his face, but he was glad of the lack of argument that resulted from it. He was sure there would be hell to pay when they finally emerged from the Forest of Wabe, but he was too worn through to care. If they never managed to make it through alive, it was a moot point anyway.

They had to move, because he was now more certain than ever that something was not just watching them… it was hunting them.

* * *

Alice looked from the Duchess, now the Queen, to Jack Heart and cleared her throat, "Hi, Jack."

He smiled, "How in the world did you get here?" Jack managed to ask after the initial shock had faded into curious disbelief.

"And _why_ are you here?" the Duchess coolly added.

By the jealous glint in the Duchesses' eye, Alice could tell that she thought it was for a completely different reason. It didn't help matters that she'd been found waiting for Jack in his bed. Alice tried for a smile, but it came out tenuous and strained.

"Um. I'm not sure exactly how… I think I found a rabbit hole. I came to find Hatter," she hastened to explain to get that _look_ off of the Duchess' face, "and I need your help," she stated, raising her chin defensively.

She was trying for confidant and poised, but she had the feeling that she hadn't managed it very well.

Jack narrowed his eyes, his initial surprise shifting towards anger at the mention of Hatter's name, "What is _he_ doing here? I told him he could never return once he left."

Taken aback by the venom in his voice, she stammered, "He… he… didn't want to. He had no choice."

His look of blatant disbelief fueled her outrage on Hatter's behalf; Alice jumped off of the bed and stood to face him, "He could never return, huh? And why the hell not? If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have a kingdom. I think he deserves a little bit better than that from you."

Jack stared down her nose at her, "He was _well_ repaid. I gave him everything he needed to make a life in your world, but it was not enough for him, was it? He had to try to undermine my authority, as well, and now he comes crawling back. Why? Does he need more money?" Jack asked snidely.

"What? No!" Alice retorted, "Everything he needed? He's in danger of getting deported, thanks to you! Did you think it was funny to sabotage his records, or did you just do it out of pure spite?" Alice demanded.

Jack glared back indignantly, "I don't have any idea what you are talking about. His records are in perfect-"

"You're Majesty, is everything well? I thought I heard…" a familiar voice called out, echoing resonantly down the hallway.

"Charlie?" Alice called out.

"Alice of Legend!" Charlie cried as he burst into the room, "It's a miracle! Have you come to stay?"

"No!" she emphatically denied, "No, I … I came back to find Hatter," she repeated, softer this time.

"The Harbinger is here, as well? Where?" he asked, looking around the room.

"I'm hoping you can answer that for me, Charlie. It's a long story," she explained.

"Jack… Alice… can we all sit down and sort out what is going on?" the Duchess interjected, "If you need help, of course we will help you," the Duchess cast a narrow eyed look at her new husband, "Won't we, Jack?"

Jack paused, taking a moment to collect himself, "Yes. Yes, of course."

Alice explained as quickly and concisely as possible why Hatter had come back to Wonderland, emphasizing that he was there under duress, and that she had to find him _immediately_. The telling took much longer than she would have liked; she couldn't help but feel she _needed_ to hurry. As Hatter had told her so many times before, Wonderland was a dangerous place.

The Duchess had insisted that Alice call her Claramae, or Clara… that is, once she saw the ring on Alice's finger and realized that she had come seeking her own fiancée, not Jack. Jack had ordered that no one be admitted into his chambers, but thanks to the fact that this was his wedding day, that was unlikely to happen, anyway. Jack promised that he'd not left Hatter's records incomplete on purpose, and he grudgingly agreed to try to get the mix-up sorted, provided that Hatter kept a low profile while he was there. He expected Hatter to leave as quickly as possible, and his suits still had standing orders to arrest him on sight. He told Alice that it meant that Hatter shouldn't be seen… else he would arrest him and treat him as an enemy to the crown.

"Is this about how he left?" Alice asked.

"He told you what he did?" Jack questioned, the righteous indignation clear in his face.

"That he punched you out and then left without your approval? Yes. Get over it," she replied coldly.

"Do you understand what a delicate position I'm in here? What it looked like to my court? If a commoner like Hatter can-" Jack began.

"Commoner? Could you get more condescending?" Alice fumed.

Jack pushed away from the table and paced through the room, "That's what he is to my court. Such things may not matter in your world, but I assure you, they do in mine. I didn't make the sacrifices I did to lose my crown on the whim of a-"

"A what?" Alice asked, her tone low and deadly, "A hero? A man that threw away everything to help his people?"

"You believe that, don't you? Hatter has always cared about one thing. Himself," Jack disagreed.

"He stood by me through everything. He's _still_ standing by me. And let me ask you this… Why did he ask me to let him contact the Resistance instead of just trying to escape Wonderland with me?" she countered.

"The Harbinger _did_ seek to help our people, at much risk to himself," Charlie added.

"Jack, Alice! Please!" Clara interrupted, "If you'll excuse us?" she asked, pulling Jack away from the table so that they could speak privately.

Clara whispered furiously in Jack's ear, and Alice was relieved to see him calming down; they had both let their tempers run away with them… even the normally unflappable Jack. Clara was right. Getting angry with him wouldn't help, and she did need his help, like it or not.

"Look. I just want to get Hatter, and get back home. Will you help me?" Alice asked as they returned to the large circular table and again took their seats.

"Alice of Legend, it would be my honor to again assist you on this arduous task. I will gladly protect-" Charlie began.

"Thank you, Charlie," Alice interrupted. He'd go on like that all evening if she let him.

Jack smiled wryly, "I said I would help, and I will. What do you need?"

"Charlie, horses, some supplies… and a trip back home through the glass," Alice listed.

"We might have a problem with the last item," Jack admitted.

* * *

Hatter froze in place, listening closely; he'd heard something. He swung around, sword held high. A deep growl sounded from his left… he slanted his eyes towards the noise. He saw the eyes before he was able to make out the shape of the body; blood-red and glinting with malice. He froze, his heart hammering in his chest. Mottled green and grey patchy fur made up the angular face, all huge eyes and gaping mouth, its head was set upon a serpentine neck, and a double row of sharp serrated teeth glistened in the creature's maw. It growled again, and Hatter instinctively knew that the growl was not a warning… it was meant to incite fear.

The creature shifted its leonine body; the thick heavy tail tipped with a razor sharp black claw rose up to hover above its head. Hatter had heard of such creatures, but he'd never seen one; it was a bandersnatch, and it was furious… and if the drool hanging from its slathering jaws was any indication, it was also hungry. Hatter swallowed hard and cast his eyes about for an escape route. Fighting this thing would be a last resort; he didn't like his odds.

He backed up slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on the bandersnatch. Its limbs coiled and tensed. _Shit, this won't work_, he thought. No help for it.

"Ryan, climb a tree. _Now!" _he called out in warning, as he sprinted to the nearest tree with low enough branches for him to grab.

He jabbed the sword in the scabbard and pulled himself up, sure that the bandersnatch was close behind him. They had a reputation for killing their prey with remarkable cruelty and malicious glee, and they were reputed to have near human intelligence. He looked to the ground below him, but the bandersnatch was nowhere in sight. Panting, he tried to quiet his breathing and his heartbeat enough to where he could hear the sounds of the forest.

Ryan came crashing through the underbrush below the tree a few moments later, the bandersnatch fast behind him. Hatter cursed in frustrated anger as he leapt down from his safe perch and ran after.

"Oi! Over here! Come and get me," he cried, pulling the sword from the sheath.

He didn't take the bait; instead, the bandersnatch lowered his shoulders to the ground and prowled towards the terrified Ryan.

When he caught up to them, Ryan's back was to the white water of the Tulgey River; he was trapped. The bandersnatch would have him in an instant if he tried to run to the left or right. It was renowned not only for its bad disposition, but for its lightning speed. Hatter would have to kill it, if he could, or perhaps he could get it into the river. One thing was certain, there was going to be no running from it… not as close as he was.

"Ryan, when it turns toward me, you need to run. Get up a tree as high as you can go, and stay there," Hatter instructed.

Ryan didn't answer. It would all be for naught if he stood there frozen, too scared to run for it.

"Ryan!" Hatter shouted, "Answer me."

He was frozen in fear, and the bandersnatch was drinking it in greedily… and Hatter was running out of time.

Hatter edged closer to the animal, coming up on its left side. He was uncomfortably aware of how little protection from the creature's sharp claws and teeth that his t-shirt and jeans provided. He hoisted the sword and prepared for the charge and strike; if he missed, it would likely be the last mistake he'd ever make.

He ran in and struck downwards at the bandersnatch's long serpentine neck, hoping against hope that the anatomy of such a creature followed some common sense rules. He scored a hit, but not in the fatal area he'd aimed for. It _did _have the affect of turning the creature's attention to him, though… he supposed that was something.

He crouched low, holding the sword across his body in a guard position. The bandersnatch snapped its jaws and pounced. Hatter tried to bring the sword up through the soft underbelly, but he'd forgotten about the creature's clawed tail. He tucked and rolled out of the way, but he couldn't avoid it completely. The creature managed to cut a long gouge from one hip to the opposite shoulder blade, slicing across Hatter's skin. Hatter yelled out in shock and pain; it felt like a lash of pure fire across his back. The shock of it made him drop his sword, but he couldn't stop, he hadn't the time. He twisted his body as he landed on the forest floor, rose up on one knee and thrust his fist upwards under the fleshy soft part of the bandersnatch's jaw. He'd poured all the fear and rage he'd possessed into it as quickly as he could; he hoped it was enough.

Hatter felt the animal's fetid breath on his face one last time, and then its warm sticky blood was running down his arm. It snapped its jaws… then the light went out of its eyes and it collapsed over top of him. Hatter wearily wriggled out from underneath, pulling the sword along with him. Fury and impotent rage bubbled up inside of him. He'd almost died in this forsaken place, and for what? For the whims of a madman. He screamed out in incandescent rage and brought the sword down on the bandersnatch's neck, severing the head from the body.

Panting, soaked in sweat and covered with blood, he turned to face the still frozen Ryan, "Well, at least you found the river," he said as the rage drained out of him, leaving him deadened and empty.

TBC

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A/N: Soooo… Jack didn't mess up Hatter's records after all (twisty, sneaky me). Hmm. Alice is most definitely back, and Jack will help (reluctantly) as will Charlie (happily), and Hatter is a sweaty bloody mess… Ok, so he's not wet, but he will be soon. *grins*

**I hope that you enjoyed this one, and please take a moment to review and tell me what you think? Muse needs a dose of love... for that matter, writer does too. As always, thanks for reading.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Readers and steady reviewers, have I told ya'll how much I appreciate your support? Thank you so much. *happy grin***

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Chapter 26

"What? Why? What do you mean 'that might be a problem?'" Alice asked, her voice tight.

Instead of answering, Jack turned to Charlie, "Charlie, this information is in the strictest confidence. Will you guard my chambers? Allow no one entry."

"Yes, sire," Charlie answered, snapping to attention before he gave Jack a low bow, did an about face and marched out the door.

"Why?" Alice demanded again.

Clara turned to Jack and lifted one perfectly arched brow, "Do tell us, Jack."

He cleared his throat and looked down, "This knowledge must not get out. My position is precarious enough already."

Alice nodded, tacitly agreeing to stay quiet. Wonderland was not her world; she'd not upset anything Jack had tried to accomplish if she could help it.

Jack explained that they had problems from the very beginning. Not everyone was happy with the Queen being deposed. There had been a lot of people that lived well under her rule, and instant gratification held more appeal than freedom for many. Alice was not viewed as a hero by everyone in the land, and he cautioned her that she'd be wise to keep her identity to herself.

Wonderlanders had been attempting to cross through the mirror, some of them trying to force their way through with violence. Jack had lost several guards that lost their lives defending the mirror, so eventually the decision was made to close it permanently sooner than they had originally planned. She stopped Jack's story there, her curiosity demanding that she ask the question.

"Is that why the transportation talisman didn't work?" Alice asked.

"No. It should have worked. All you should have to do is swallow it, and then cross over," he remarked, confused.

"You never told me to _eat_ it," she accused.

"How else are you to absorb the power?" he countered, as if she had overlooked the obvious.

"Well, I don't know, Jack. You never told me that," she riposted.

He had the grace to look a little bit embarrassed about it, at least.

He picked up on the tale, "When the knights created the mirror, Wonderland was a very different place. The Knights had the wisdom to use the mirror, but I think that without them to guide its use, it will be misused again. Travel to your world should be as it was intended… through the rabbit holes. Travel between worlds was never meant to be easy," he paused, looking to Clara for affirmation, "so I sent it away."

Alice looked to Clara's hand, where she wore the Ring of Wonderland. Clara was staring at it, too. She got the impression that Clara hadn't known of his decision. Typical Jack. She was _so_ glad she turned him down.

"What is _that,_ then?" she asked, gesturing to Clara's ring.

"A very clever counterfeit," Jack answered.

Clara's eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away before they could fall, "And you failed to tell me this, why?"

"The fewer people that knew, the better," he rationalized, "But before I could get the ring away... it was stolen. It seems I have a traitor in my court, and they have to be someone close. Very few people knew what I had planned."

"No," Alice breathed, her hopes dying; she had to get back home.

"We have reason to believe the thief crossed to your world. The Ten of Clubs followed, using the last bit of power remaining in the glass, but I have neither seen nor heard from him since." he finished.

"You could have told me about this_,_" Clara insisted.

"Clara, if word were to get out that I had lost the Stone of Wonderland, what do you think would have happened?" he asked.

"And when did you plan to tell me you had switched the rings?" she demanded.

"I was going to tell you," he said quietly.

Clara cut a glare towards Jack that clearly stated that he'd not heard the end of the conversation, but that she would save it for later.

"Ryan… he said he had a contact from Wonderland that could get him passage through the glass. I think his contact might be your thief," Alice hazarded.

Jack turned to look at her, hope in his eyes for the first time, "If you bring this man back here, I can get the truth from him. Please, Alice… I need your help once again."

Clara lifted her chin, "How are Alice and Hatter to get home?" she interrupted, trading a gaze of solidarity with Alice.

He sighed heavily, "The same way they got here, I'd imagine. Rabbit hole."

Alice mind worked furiously, all she wanted was to take Hatter home, and possibly beat the living daylights out of Ryan before taking him to the police. Still, someone in her world was actively working against them. _Someone_ in her world had promised Ryan a trip to Wonderland for delivering Hatter… or for the price of bankrupting their business. She had a sneaking suspicion that they would not have stopped there. Either way, she wanted to find out who it was. Maybe she and Jack could both get what they wanted.

"Give me what I need to find Hatter, fix his records, and give him a full pardon, and I'll bring Ryan to you," Alice stipulated.

* * *

Hatter eyed the rushing rapids with trepidation. He needed to wash out the wound on his back, but the water was moving more rapidly than he'd like. Probably his best bet would be to follow it down further until the currents slowed.

"Ryan, time to move," he called out as he started down the river.

Ryan followed him, slack-jawed and dazed. He'd snap out of it soon enough, he was sure. He'd not the time to coddle him, anyway. Bandersnatch wounds had been known to fester and grow septic; he needed to get it clean. As it was, he felt feverish and slightly sick to his stomach. He tried to ignore it; he could ill afford any weakness.

By the time the river started smoothing out, Ryan had gone from numb to something else. He was mumbling and talking in circles, but none of what he said made sense. It was ironic considering that Ryan had been accepting of all sorts of strange things that didn't exist in his world, yet the bandersnatch sent him over the edge. It was not neccessarily a bad thing... if Ryan's nuts and bolts got loosened, it might prove even easier to get the information he needed out of him. Besides, he had bigger problems to contend with. The burning sensation on his back hadn't lessened, if anything it had gotten worse, as had the fever. Sweat beaded on his forehead; he hoped he hadn't waited too long already.

"Stop. I need to get this off of me," he explained, gesturing at the caked blood covering his body, a mix of his own and the black blood of the bandersnatch, "You might consider doing the same," he suggested.

Ryan had pissed himself when he thought the bandersnatch had him; Hatter was glad the stench of bandersnatch blood was so strong that it _almost _masked the smell_. _Hatter slipped off his boots, socks, jeans and what remained of his once white t-shirt. He tucked the knife he found at the manor house into his boot covertly. He'd rather Ryan not know he had it. Keeping hold of the sword, he waded into the river, heading towards a sharp bend that formed a pool of relatively still waters.

He set the sword on the edge of the bank and used his shirt to scrub off the worst of the dried sweat and blood from his torso and arms. He ducked down underneath the water and came back up gasping; it was cold, but it was probably the best thing for the cut on his back. Wincing, he sunk back down to his neck, letting the currents swirl around him. Ryan had waded into the river further down, still dressed. Hatter smirked; he'd be miserable walking around in wet clothing. Hatter's silk boxers would dry fairly rapidly, as would his t-shirt… what was left of it.

He hated to take the time for this, but smelling of blood would attract every creature within smelling distance. He emerged from the river and shook out his thick mop of hair, spraying droplets every which way.

"Stop that!" came a disembodied voice from above his left shoulder, spoken in very clipped and precise speech.

Hatter froze. Ryan was still in the river, and the words hadn't come from his mouth. His gaze flitted around, but he saw nothing other than empty forest. He felt the brush of fur against his leg; he shivered… there was nothing there. Maybe _he_ was the one with the loose nuts and bolts. _Or…_

"Yes, you almost have it," the voice encouraged.

Hatter felt the blood drain from his face, "Cheshire?"

They were creatures born of pure Wonderland magic. They could assume any shape they desired, but usually settled on a purple and lavender striped cat. They were not considered outright malicious, but the difficulty in dealing with Cheshires came with the fact that their motives were always entirely ambiguous. They could be there to help or hinder, or just to trick travelers for their own amusement. This one could cause trouble. Ryan would easily be led by one such as this. He glanced at Ryan, but the man was blessedly oblivious.

"What do ya want with me, Cheshire?" Hatter asked in a low tone.

"To tell you to wait for your Alice. She's coming," the Cheshire's grin appeared, but the rest of him stayed hidden.

"What do you know of Alice?" he demanded.

"She's here. She searches for you, and Wonderland itself would aid her and you as well… but for _that one_," he cautioned, a single clawed paw becoming visible along with the grin.

It was rather disconcerting. People of Wonderland had grown unused to such blatant displays of magic in recent years. Under the Queen's rule, most of the once plentiful magical creatures had been hunted almost to extinction. Hatter had only seen pictures of most of them, but he knew his history.

"What difference does it make?" he asked cautiously.

The rest of the Cheshire appeared, its shape solidifying in an instant; its large gold eyes bored into his own. It was no longer grinning, it was snarling.

"_That one_ is poison. Kill it," he growled.

Hatter shook his head in the negative, "No, I can't… as much as I'd like to," He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "And how do I know you tell me the truth?"

"_Wonderland_ has been telling you. She gave you a sword, a knife, food and water. She tried to kill _that one_… She tried to talk to you, but you don't listen anymore," the Cheshire complained.

Hatter wanted to believe him. He wanted to believe him so badly it hurt, but he'd not take chances with Alice's life on the line. If he was wrong, and Alice was still waiting on him as her time ran out… he couldn't live with himself knowing he'd made the wrong decision. Hatter hadn't managed to keep his head on his shoulders for as long as he had for nothing. He'd not be tricked so easily.

"I can't," he said shortly.

"Listen to her… she's in your blood," the Cheshire grinned again and wound itself through Hatter's legs before disappearing.

"Listen to her? Who do ya mean?" Hatter asked, irritated at the Cheshire's cryptic words.

The cut on his back flared in white hot agony, he gritted his jaw to keep from crying out. Some sound must have escaped him, because Ryan flinched, although he didn't turn to look. He bent over and pulled on his boots, playing it off as if bending over had pained him enough for him to cry out. He strode over to the lone patch of rapidly fading sunlight in the clearing to continue to dry off, and to place more distance between him and Ryan should the Cheshire choose to appear again.

"A parting gift," the Cheshire said, his voice trailing off as if he was already far away.

He hissed through his teeth as the laceration continued to burn, leaving him gasping. Slowly the pain begun to diminish until the wound felt no worse than any other cut. His back was a little tender, but it no longer ached, and his fever had broken. It made him nervous, to receive a gift of healing... even if he hadn't asked for it. A creature like the Cheshire surely didn't give without expecting something in return.

* * *

Alice followed Charlie as he beat a decisive path through the forest. He'd done his 'parting the veils' shtick and said he knew where to find Hatter, and now he was happily singing 'Hey Nonny Nonny,' as they made their way to him. She had tried to impress upon him the need to move quickly, but she wasn't sure that it had really gotten through to him; they had been riding for hours at the same slow, plodding pace. Hatter had been right about him being 'as mad as a box of frogs,' but he was also an invaluable ally. Without Charlie, she had no idea how she could have possibly found Hatter.

Alice shifted in the saddle again, her butt aching from riding so long. Despite his advanced age, Charlie was still singing, and if anything, his cheer had just continued to grow despite the fact that the woods around them had gotten wilder the further in that they rode. He seemed to know exactly where they were headed, and gleefully pointed out signs of creatures that Alice had never even heard of.

Charlie said he was just glad to be doing something useful again. Jack intended him to train the royal guard, but so far he had been too busy with squashing the remainder of those loyal to the queen to begin the process. He had served as a personal guard to Jack, but aside from that, he'd been left to his own devices. He said he'd created several new inventions, but oddly enough, no one seemed interested in them. Alice bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing as he described his mechanized mustache styling device, and then went on for at least twenty minutes about all the possible attachments for goatees and beards. She had_ missed_ Charlie.

It was getting darker, and Alice was afraid that soon they would need to stop for the evening before their visability was completely gone. She hated the thought of spending another day looking for Hatter, but Charlie had pointed out the bandersnatch tracks to her, and the size of its paws were big enough that she was convinced she really didn't want to see the creature they belonged to.

* * *

Hatter dressed as soon as his boxers dried out, calling out to Ryan to tell him to come out of the river. He could catch his death of cold, for all Hatter cared, but first he needed him to give him the information he needed about Alice.

"Ryan, time to go," he commanded.

Ryan just stared at him stupidly for a few long moments, his eyes wide and glassy.

Hatter sighed and made his way over to the riverbank, placing himself directly in Ryan's field of vision, "Oi! Let's go."

Ryan blinked rapidly, and focused in on Hatter as if seeing him for the first time. Ryan narrowed his eyes and stalked from the river. Hatter's brow furrowed in confusion at the sudden shift in Ryan's attitude. The man was dangerously unstable, and pushing him through the forest of Wabe hadn't helped matters. Hatter lifted an eyebrow at his display of temper, but shrugged it off as irrelevant; they had to get through it, like it or not.

He began tracking through the forest again, and Ryan followed, cursing as he worked to keep up and Wonderland once again moved again to slow his passing. Hatter gritted his teeth and forced his way through, ignoring it as best he could. The Cheshire's words continued to run round his mind, and he could almost swear he heard the wind whispering and muttering. He shook his head to clear it and clenched his jaw. _Please, stop this. I need to get to Alice before it is too late,_ he pleaded. It never hurt to ask, he supposed, even if he wasn't quite sure he believed.

Hatter paused at the next clearing; they would need to stop soon, and this looked as good a place as any.

"We'll make camp here," Hatter stated, turning to face Ryan.

Ryan was standing very still in the center of the clearing, hands fisted by his sides, glaring at Hatter. Spots of red stood out on his too pale face, his lips pulled back in a snarl. _Shit, he's gone over the edge._ Hatter watched him carefully, tension winging through his body.

"You are doing this to me," Ryan growled, gesturing to his bleeding face and hands.

Hatter laughed bitterly, "You give me more credit than I deserve. Look at me arms," he held them out for inspection, "I'm gettin' it, too."

"This is all _your_ fault. You brought me this way on purpose. It's one of your tricks, isn't it?" Ryan ranted, his eyes wide and panicked.

"No, it's no trick. If I wanted you dead, I'd have let the bandersnatch eat ya, wouldn't I?" Hatter replied.

"Tricks and lies! Lies!" Ryan shouted.

"Keep your voice down!" Hatter warned, "We are not out of danger."

Ryan was backing away from him, "Nothing. I'm not telling you anything. Deal is _off_!' he screamed, and then spun on his heel and begun tearing through the underbrush.

Hatter stared after him for a few moments, bewildered, before he cursed and tore off after him.

* * *

Alice dismounted from her horse, groaning as her muscles protested. She and Charlie had ridden for hours, and they still had not seen any sign of Hatter and Ryan. Charlie assured her that they were still headed in the right direction, and although he was certifiably insane, she had to believe in his ability to do as he promised. She had to find Hatter. She could only imagine what he must be thinking, and knowing him, he was blaming himself for it. She'd give anything to see his bright smile, see his dark chocolate eyes dancing in laughter, to feel his arms around her again. Her lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears; if anything had happened to him, she'd be lost.

Charlie moved to stand beside her, his presence warm and comforting, "It will be alright, Alice of Legend. We will find your Harbinger; I am certain he is safe. He is a brave and fearless hero, and I can think of no one better suited to stand by your side," Charlie said as he placed an arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

She nodded and gave him a watery smile, "Thank you, Charlie."

Alice offered to gather wood from the fire as Charlie saw to their horses. He cautioned her to stay nearby so that he could protect her, and she managed to accept his warning without cracking a smile. She knew all too well that _she_ would be the one doing the protecting, but the old man had his pride and she wouldn't dream of taking it from him.

Alice had barely begun to gather an armful of sticks for the fire when she heard something large crashing through the underbrush headed in her direction. Her mind immediately went to the tracks of the bandersnatch that Charlie had pointed out nearby. She took off at a dead run towards the camp, but as she looked over her shoulder to see what was behind her, she saw the figure of a man emerging from the forest. She stopped in her tracks and warily dropped into fighting stance. She opened her mouth to call for Charlie, but then her eyes registered the dark shock of unruly hair and slim body. He was battered and blood smeared, his t-shirt hung from him in sheds. His jeans were stained with black ichor, and he wore a sword at his side, but she'd know him anywhere; it was unmistakably her Hatter.

"Hatter!" she cried, running towards him.

He stared in shock for a moment before his synapses fired and connected enough to realize that Alice, _his Alice_ was here.

He swept her up in his arms and crushed her to his body, "Alice, are you really here? How are you here?"

"I came to find you," she answered.

He pulled away enough to gaze upon her face, "I was afraid I'd never see you again."

"Me too," Alice replied, her voice breaking.

He slanted his mouth over hers, pouring all the need and relief and overwhelming love he possessed into the kiss, and she matched him passion for passion. As they broke for air, he embraced her as if she was his whole world, burying his head in her neck. He couldn't stop the flood of hot tears that came with knowing his Alice was safe and alive and back in his arms where she belonged. Alice clung to him, letting her own tears fall. She'd been so terrified, and she knew they weren't out of danger yet, but they had each other, and that was all they needed.

**TBC**

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A/N: Yay! Reunited at last! Well, what is Wonderland without the Cheshire? It had to at least have a cameo, I figure. Hmmm… and more and more questions… and Jack is still a jackass. I sure hope that you liked this chapter, and please review and tell me what you think? My muse needs you to survive… *grins*


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You keep my muse well fed and happily writing! Hope ya like this one…**

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Chapter 27

Alice and Hatter held each other long enough for them both to be reassured that they had indeed found each other once more. Hatter ran his hands down her arms, caressed her face, kissed her softly once more before he pulled away enough to look her in the face once again. He drank her in hungrily, as if he still couldn't believe she was stood in front of him.

He broke out into that heart-stopping bright crooked grin Alice loved so much, his dimple flashing in his cheek, and then tilted his head, an amused, inquisitive look settling in on his features, "Is that me hat?"

"Yes," she smiled through her tears and took the hat from her head to settle it on his, "That's better."

He laughed softly, "That it is."

"Hatter, god… what happened to you?" Alice asked, his battered appearance finally registering now that she'd gotten over most of the initial shock of running into him in the middle of the forest of Wabe.

"I'm fine. It's nothin' serious. I've had worse, hadn't I?" Hatter reassured her.

Alice nodded, but she lost none of her look of concern; she took in his nearly destroyed t-shirt and added, "I brought you a jacket, too. It's back at the camp with Charlie."

"Charlie? No wonder ya found me," he grinned, "That crazy old knight is full of surprises. It'll be good to see him again."

She slid her hands up his back and frowned as she fingered the torn edges of his shirt. Alice disengaged from him and stepped around him to look at his back.

"Nothing serious?" she asked incredulously as her fingers traced over the cut that marred his smooth strong back from shoulder blade to opposite hip, "What's this?"

He turned to face her, taking hold of her by her shoulders and meeting her stormy blue eyes with an intense look from his own, "It's from a bandersnatch. Nasty creature, but I killed it. There may be more of them out there. I'm _fine_, I swear it, but we need to get back to Charlie, love. These woods are _not_ safe," he cautioned.

Alice nodded, "Okay… but where is Ryan?"

His brow furrowed, his expression going dark, "He ran off… I think he's gone mad. Madder," he amended, "I was going after him when I found you."

Alice sighed, "We need him. Hopefully Charlie can find him."

"We need him? What the hell for?" Hatter inquired incredulously, his voice rising an octave, "I'd rather just leave him here and hope he gets eaten, to be honest," Hatter asked, his face set in hard lines as he remembered all the destruction that Ryan had wrought.

_That is, if I can't wring his neck m'self,_ he thought, but he kept it to himself.

"I made a deal with Jack. I agreed to bring him back… it's a long story," Alice explained, as she gave him an apologetic grimace.

"_Jack?_ What do ya mean, _Jack_?" he scowled.

"It's okay. He doesn't want to kill you," Alice assured him; she knew he wouldn't take the news well.

Hatter snorted in amused disbelief, "Oh, he _wants_ to, I'm sure."

"Well maybe," she smirked, "but he's not going to try to, anyway."

Alice disclosed the story of her rescue from Ryan's sex offender brother, her attempts to use the transport talisman, and ended with her fall through the rabbit hole that landed her in Jack's bed on his wedding day. Hatter was more than a little bit relieved to find out that Jack was now safely married. He was _not_ so relieved to hear of the deal Alice had made with Jack, nor that the Stone of Wonderland was missing, and likely back in Alice's world.

Hatter groaned and shook his head. It seemed as if nothing would ever be simple or easy when he and Alice were concerned. He couldn't find it within himself to be too disheartened, not when Alice was stood here next to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and followed her back to the campsite; he still couldn't wipe the smile from his face, despite the seriousness of their situation. He had his Alice back, and that was really the only thing that mattered.

Charlie looked much the same as he had when he left him last, apart from his armor looking shiny and new. He grinned as he saw the old man humming happily to himself as he set up the campsite with an energy and enthusiasm of one much younger than his considerable years.

"Hi Charlie," he called out casually.

Charlie looked up, his mobile face showing a comical amount of amazement that was quickly displaced with smug pride, "Harbinger! I knew my commune with the spirits would lead me to you! I am _most_ skilled in the dark arts, you know."

Hatter nodded indulgently, "I'm grateful. Thank you, Charlie."

Charlie drew his sword and snapped him a salute with it, "As always, I'm in the service of Alice of Legend. I am proud to serve her. If she asked me to-"

Alice cut him off, "Thanks Charlie, but we need to eat and figure out what our next move is."

* * *

They were sat around the campfire, talking strategy. Hatter and Alice were sitting as close as possible without sitting in each other's laps; they were pressed leg to leg, hip to hip. Hatter had devoured his portion of the provisions, and Alice had the sneaking suspicion that it was the first real meal that Hatter had eaten since the crappy fast food burger they'd been given when they'd been taken. She pushed the remains of her own meal on him, stating she was full. He started to refuse, but she quelled him with one look. He should know better than to try and argue with her.

"So, Charlie… can ya find him?" Hatter asked.

"I shall try, Harbinger, but I have not met this dastardly fiend, and the veil sometimes refuses to part if I am searching for someone I have not yet laid eyes on," Charlie replied.

Alice's face fell, disappointment rising.

Seeing this, Charlie reassured her, "I am an expert tracker, Alice of Legend. Fear not. We will find him. Our mission is destined to succeed. The stars are once again aligned and we three have been brought together for a reason."

Alice and Hatter shared a look of doubt between them. Hatter lifted an eyebrow and shrugged, after all, what did they have to lose? Charlie had certainly come through for them in the past.

Unfortunately, Charlie found that 'parting the veil' was indeed too much for him with someone he hadn't ever met. He said he might have better luck in the morning when he had fully rested. Hatter and Alice both truly wanted nothing more than to just go home, but it looked as if they'd need to track through the forest to find Ryan, first. Hatter would not make a liar out of Alice, and she (of course) would be true to her promises.

Later that evening, Hatter lay by the fire, Alice curled up against him, her head pillowed on his chest. He inhaled, breathing her scent into his lungs. Thanks to the fire, her body heat, his leather jacket he was using as a pillow and the blanket Charlie had pulled out from the saddlebag, he felt warm and comfortable for the first time in days. Charlie had offered to stay up for the first watch, and against his better judgment, he'd agreed. He desperately needed sleep… he just hoped that Wonderland liked Alice as much as he suspected it did. The idea of mad Charlie keeping watch had not filled him with confidence.

He couldn't wait until he could get Alice alone… alone and safe. She had one leg thrown over his, and the press of her body on his was making him react, even as exhausted as he was. Alice wasn't helping matters by tracing little patterns on his chest with her fingers. He groaned audibly.

"Something wrong?" she whispered.

"No, love. Just go to sleep, yeah?" he replied, his voice pitched low.

"You sure?" she asked.

He kissed her hair, "Yeah. I'm just wishing we were somewhere a little bit safer and a lot more private is all."

She kissed the base of his throat and then snuggled back in against him, "Me, too."

* * *

Hatter woke with a start, confused and disoriented. Alice murmured in her sleep, her arm tightening around him. The fire had died down to coals, and if the snoring coming from the edge of the clearing was any indication, Charlie had fallen asleep whilst on watch. He sighed heavily and disengaged from Alice carefully, not wanting to wake her. She'd insisted that she would pull a shift for the watch, but Hatter was determined to leave her to sleep. He could see the exhaustion written clearly on her face. He'd just beg forgiveness later, but he'd not wake her.

He debated on waking Charlie to chastise him for falling asleep on watch, but he was an old man, after all. He wasn't all that shocked to find him sleeping, anyway; he'd known when he allowed him to take first watch that it was a distinct possibility. Hatter sat himself on an overturned log near the fire, unsheathed the sword and laid it to rest across his knees to wait for dawn.

Hatter had been on watch a couple of hours before he heard Charlie waken. He glanced over as Charlie moved closer to warm his hands by the fire. He put a finger to his lips as a caution and pointed to the still sleeping Alice.

Charlie nodded and took a seat next to him on the log and gave him an embarrassed smile, "I'm afraid the stain of setting my soul to watch outside the earthly plane was too much for me after such an arduous journey."

Hatter nodded, "Of course."

They sat in silence as the horizon grew brighter; Charlie fed the fire sticks to encourage it to grow. He had offered to make a quick breakfast for the trio and Hatter had gratefully accepted. He'd noticed Charlie eyeing his sword curiously, and he wondered if perhaps the old knight might know more of its origin; he seemed to recognize it. He'd opened his mouth to ask about it when Alice begun to stir, coming awake suddenly in a panic, Hatter's name on her lips. He jumped up from his spot near the fire, sword falling to the ground as he made his way to her side in an instant.

"I'm right here, Alice. It's alright," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around her.

She cleaved her body to his and breathed him in, assuring herself that she'd found him, but untangled herself from him sheepishly after a few moments. She was _not_ usually prone to such displays, at least not in front of anyone other than Hatter.

She smiled at him to ease the concern from his dark chocolate eyes, "I'm okay."

He studied her for a moment, but nodded and accepted her answer. Charlie had retrieved his sword from the ground and was now inspecting the pommel curiously.

"You recognize it, don't ya?" Hatter asked.

"Where did you find this?" Charlie replied.

"An old manor house hidden away in the forest. It was with the remains of a knight, but I din't figure he'd be needing it any longer," Hatter related.

"No," Charlie agreed softly.

"Where's it from?" Hatter asked again.

"If I am correct about the origin of this crest, then I believe you found the resting place of the last guardian of the Stone of Wonderland, Sir Thaddeus Irvine," Charlie answered sadly.

Charlie said that the last Guardian of the Stone had disappeared, never to be seen again. He had been charged with hiding the Stone away, and to defend it to the death if necessary. The Stone had long been considered an artifact of extreme importance and the Council of Knights had agreed that it would be better to destroy it rather than to allow it to fall into the wrong hands… obviously they'd had the right idea. Much of the damage the Queen had caused was a direct result of her possession of the ring.

Sir Thaddeus had been assumed captured because the ring had ended up in the hands of the Queen of Hearts. Hatter described how he found him, seated upright, still in his armor, much like he and Alice had seen the White King sitting on his throne. Charlie had nodded sagely at this, the sad smile coming to his lips once more.

Charlie explained that the knight had likely protected the stone until his death because he was still sat in the pose of guardianship when Hatter found him. Someone must have come for the Stone and taken it after his death; Hatter was just astounded that they had left everything else intact. He would bet that whoever had retrieved the stone had done so under duress. There had been a lot of that going around under the rule of the mad Queen.

"Wonderland must feel that you are the new guardian, Harbinger, if you were given the sword," Charlie asserted.

Hatter shook his head ruefully, "Between you and the Cheshire…"

Charlie's face lit up happily, "A Cheshire? Truly? I thought they were all but extinct! Oh, this is glorious news. They are our national treasure, you know. Ah, when I was a boy…" Charlie rambled on happily while Hatter and Alice shared amused grins over their breakfast; Charlie _did_ love to tell a story.

* * *

Fed and loaded up, Charlie set about to prove he was indeed a good woodsman. He would have had to be to survive so many years in the wilderness on his own, but he was even sharper than Alice had given him credit for. He gleefully pointed out broken twigs and trampled ferns, commenting all the while that the man was close to capture. Hatter and Alice followed behind, sharing a horse.

This time she accepted his offer to lean forward and rest her weight upon him, and it _was_ much more comfortable. She'd been a fool not to accept his offer the first time, but she'd been so confused about him back then… repelled and attracted at the same time. Now it was _all_ attraction. She remembered thinking he was the shadiest man she'd ever met, and the sexiest, and she had _so __not wanted_ to think he was sexy.

She gave Hatter's waist a squeeze and he glanced back at her with a cheeky smile, "You comfy?"

"Shut up," she laughed.

Hatter chuckled, but then he was back to all seriousness as he searched the ground for signs of Ryan's passing.

Ryan must have been running in a blind panic, if one looked at the erratic path he'd flattened through the woods. Even though they kept stopping to verify which path he had taken, they were making excellent time thanks to the horses. Alice leaned forward even farther and rested her head on Hatter's back; she was tired even though she'd been the only one to sleep through the night (albeit fitfully). She'd given Hatter an earful about failing to wake her for her turn at standing watch, but he'd just shrugged innocently and said he'd been wide awake and didn't see the sense in waking her.

She didn't know how Hatter and Charlie had managed to seem so alert; she felt as if she was worn through, but it was probably from the emotional turmoil of the last few days more than anything else. Now that she had her Hatter back, it was as if her body was demanding she pay it back for all the abuse she'd heaped on it while she'd been too strung out with worry to eat or sleep properly.

He turned slightly to look back at her, his dark eyes softening, "Try to sleep if ya can, love."

"Wake me if you find anything," she agreed, already closing her eyes.

They tracked Ryan's trail to an area of the forest dotted with sinkholes and caves. They'd have to investigate them one by one; the rocky soil didn't give clear evidence to his passing, a frustrating end to the trail. Hatter nudged Alice to wake her, explaining that they had to go on foot if they were to find him. They dismounted, Charlie and Hatter drawing their swords.

Alice looked out at the vast expanse of area to search and sighed, "We should split up to cover more area."

Hatter's expression clouded as he considered her words. It did make sense, but the thought of Alice getting hurt any further by Ryan made his blood boil. She'd not thank him for any chivalry on his part, either. She'd likely be proper brassed off at him. He saw her jaw hardening as she read his hesitancy for what it was; she knew him too well.

"Alice…" he began, trying frantically of some argument that would hold weight with his stubborn little Alice, " Charlie and I have swords and you are unarmed. It's not a good idea to split up."

Alice smiled tightly, "Then I'll go with Charlie. It will still take less time."

Charlie drew himself up proudly, "Fear not, Harbinger. I will protect Alice of Legend with my life."

Hatter raised his eyebrows at Alice challengingly; he knew she'd be protecting the old knight rather than the other way around, but one look at the stubborn set of her jaw was enough to know he'd lose this round.

He raised his head to the sky and sighed, "We all stay within shouting distance, yeah?"

Alice and Charlie headed in one direction while Hatter started in the other. None of the caves looked too deep, so they'd likely not need the use of torches. Hatter tried to move as quickly as possible, grumbling all the while about being outmaneuvered by Alice. At least he was close enough to get to her if need be. He _knew_ she could take care of herself, but it still didn't stop him from wanting to protect her, and it likely never would.

They had covered about a third of the mountain when Hatter heard Charlie shouting. He tore across the rocky ground, sliding as his feet failed to find purchase. He recognized Charlie's peculiar version of profanity, and knew that he'd found Ryan. He headed towards his voice, fighting down rising panic as Charlie screamed aloud in pain and Alice shouted his name.

He entered the cave, his quick gaze taking in all the details at once. Charlie was on the ground, Ryan had taken his sword, and Alice was in a cautious fighting stance blocking Ryan's exit. Ryan was even bloodier than when Hatter had seen him last, and he seemed to have lost his bag somewhere along the way... along with the rest of his sanity. Wide eyed and slashing wildly about with Charlie's sword, Hatter privately thought that given enough time, he'd hamstring himself and save Hatter the trouble.

Hatter motioned Alice back, and thankfully she saw the logic of doing as he asked. She went to Charlie, pulling him back and away while Hatter dealt with Ryan.

Hatter stalked towards Ryan, images playing in his mind of Alice screaming for him, of the sight of her drugged and helpless, of Charlie laid out on the ground. Fury was rising, soaking through every fiber and pore of his being. A red veil dropped in front of his eyes as he beheld the cause of so much pain and suffering.

Hatter growled as he slipped inside Ryan's guard, disarming him easily. Ryan didn't submit, so maddened with fear that he continued to struggle mindlessly, striking out with fists and feet. He seemed oblivious to the fact that three feet of sharp steel was pointed directly at his heart.

"We need him," Alice sharply reminded Hatter.

He nodded tersely and moved to strike Ryan with the pommel of the sword. Ryan flailed, slicing his arm on Hatter's sword. Hatter cursed and slid the sword over to Alice, wanting the use of his hands rather than the heavy sword. Hatter took several hard blows from Ryan before he was able to grab the larger man by the shirt collar and give him a hard shake followed by a vicious punch to the gut. Ryan made an "oof" of shock, but kept coming at him.

Hatter landed several more body shots before finally calling his talent into play. He was so infuriated with Ryan, he'd wanted to avoid it if possible. He was dangerously close to loosing control, and he'd rather not tempt fate if he could help it. Ryan left him no other choice; he'd not stop fighting. Hatter pulled his fist back once more and allowed some of his anger to trickle in to feed his talent.

"I told ya once not to fuck with me or mine. Do not make the mistake of pushing me, or I'll kill you and consequences be damned," he grated.

He let his fist fly. Ryan's head snapped back before he collapsed bonelessly in a heap on the floor of the cave. Hatter checked for his pulse, almost disappointed when he found it.

Alice walked over to stare down at Ryan, "He's alive?"

Hatter glowered down at his body, "Unfortunately."

Hatter jumped, taken aback, as Alice kicked Ryan in the ribs… hard.

"What a sorry piece of shit," she pronounced.

Hatter nodded, "Yeah, that's for sure," he met her gaze with a small tight smile, "Would ya like to be the one to tie 'em up?"

Alice nodded and returned his smile with a vicious twist of her lips, "Yes."

TBC

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A/N: So they've caught him! Yay! But has he suffered enough? I'm thinking no.

**They still have a journey ahead, these two, but I hope you are as glad as I am that they're back together. I hope you enjoyed this one, and thank you for reading!**

**Please review and feed my muse? **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: So here we go! Holy giant chapter, Batman. Hope you like this one, and thanks so much to those that read and leave such nice reviews! It truly does encourage and motivate me to write.**

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Chapter 28

Alice was glad to be the one to tie Ryan up, and one glance at Hatter as he glared down at Ryan's limp body was enough to convince her of the wisdom of the choice. Hatred and rage simmered below the surface, barely constrained. She knew that without her warning that they needed Ryan, he'd probably be dead. Hatter still looked as if he would happily tear Ryan limb from limb if given the slightest reason to do so. If Ryan so much as twitched wrong, she had no doubt it would be his last.

The bone deep fury on Hatter's face was almost frightening in its intensity… it was a side of him she rarely saw. She was afraid he might do something he'd have tough time living with afterwards. Ryan certainly deserved every bit he got, but she knew how Hatter felt about the blood that was already on his hands, and deserved or not, she didn't think he truly wanted to add to his body count. Better to give him to Jack, fulfill her end of the bargain, and get home without a guilty conscience.

Alice tied Ryan's wrists together, all the while wishing that he was awake so that he would feel the rope burn on his wrists as she cinched it tighter than she probably needed to. She was feeling more than a little bloodthirsty herself, but she figured she was a lot less likely to snap his neck than Hatter, at the moment. He'd had to move away from Ryan, as if the sight of him might be enough to send him over the edge.

His temper was held in check by the thinnest of filaments, and if possible, he'd grown even more angry when he realized how hard Charlie had been hit. She knew the familiar signs from him, even though he hadn't said a word, his mouth pressed in a tight line, jaw clenched, nostrils flaring, his body tense. He'd left the unconscious Ryan completely to her charge and went to tend to Charlie, who seemed to be recovering well from the bash on the head and subsequent fall. She thought his ego had taken the brunt of the injury.

Hatter had calmed somewhat by the time they made ready their midday meal, regaining his customary equanimity. He eyed the still form of Ryan lying nearby with distaste. He hoped that the man would be awake by the time they finished; he was going to need to be able to walk. By Charlie's reckoning, they'd have to camp in the woods again tonight, but they should reach the city the next day, that is, if Ryan woke up relatively quickly. He'd hit him a bit harder than he'd intended… and a lot softer than he'd _wanted _to.

Hatter spared him one last glance before dismissing his presence to discuss their next move, "We'll send Charlie in first, and then he can let us know how Jack wants us to go about sneaking into the city," Hatter proposed, his distaste blatantly apparent as he said Jack's name.

Charlie grinned happily, his mustache quivering, "Ah… a covert mission. I, of course, am the perfect person for the job. I shall steal in under a veil of silence-"

Alice shook her head, "No need. Jack will meet us at an old watchtower outside the city. It's a safe distance away so you won't be seen. Charlie can just report in as usual, and he'll know to meet us there."

Hatter stiffened; he hated the thought that he was dependant upon Jack… _again._ It had not worked out so well for him in the past, and he had no reason to believe it would this time. A part of him couldn't help but think he was walking into a trap. 'Meet me far away from everyone in an isolated area' just did not inspire a lot of confidence. Jack could be waiting for them there with an army of his suits to kill him, and no one would ever need know he'd ever come back to Wonderland. Of course, he could kill him in his palace just as easily, if he truly wanted him dead.

Charlie paused, looking more than a little disappointed that he wasn't being asked to perform covert ops, "As always, I am your humble servant, Alice of Legend. Whatever you require of me, I will be proud to-"

"Thank you Charlie, we're in your debt," Alice interrupted.

At her words, Charlie was again grinning merrily, "I'll just go and check on the royal prisoner. It's a knight's solemn responsibility, you know."

Alice grabbed Hatter's arm, "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice low to avoid attracting Charlie's notice. He'd gone still and quiet next to her, she knew something was bothering him.

Hatter looked askance at her, wishing she believed a little bit less in Jack's good faith. He started to speak, saw Ryan beginning to stir, and thought better of it. He'd not give Jack more ammunition from what Ryan might overhear, and Charlie was not exactly the model of confidentiality. He tilted his head in Ryan's direction and shook his head once. Alice narrowed her eyes but nodded. He moved off to the edge of the clearing, Alice following behind. Hatter made sure he had a clear view of Ryan, but bound hand and foot, he was unlikely to get very far if he attempted to run.

"What's the problem with meeting Jack outside the city? You know they have orders to arrest you on sight. This way he doesn't lose face, and he can still help us," Alice explained, confused by his reluctance.

Hatter shook his head, "I haven't got the same faith in Jack that you do, Alice."

Her brow furrowed in confusion, "So? What are you trying to say?"

He sighed and fixed Alice with an intense gaze, willing her to see things as he did, "I'm sayin' it'd be a perfect time to be rid of me for good."

Alice's mouth dropped open, "You honestly think he'd do that?" she asked in disbelief.

Hatter nodded, "Yeah. I do."

Alice shook her head, "I _don't. _But what are you suggesting we do about it, anyway?"

He chewed on his lower lip a moment as he thought. He'd like to just go home, and the hell with all else. He'd like to, but it wasn't right. He'd be damned if he'd live like that anymore. He'd spent too many years acting against what he thought was right, and he was done with that kind of life. He'd not fancy looking himself in the mirror if he failed to do this one little thing to help his homeland. _Damn conscience. _And Alice seemed so sure of Jack's intentions…

Hatter sighed deeply and then shrugged, "We need to be careful, is all. Don't just _accept _that Jack is being completely honest, yeah? I'll admit he's not _all _bad, but he can be ruthless and vindictive. I've seen it from him."

Alice nodded solemnly, and Hatter relaxed a little bit with her acceptance. She trusted Hatter's instincts, even though she thought in this case he was wrong. Jack would have needed to be ruthless to live the double life he had, but Hatter should know better than anyone else what it meant to play a role as if your life depended on it, and Jack was still stuck playing his.

* * *

Horses again packed for travel, Hatter set about making sure that their captive would stay that way. He tied a length of rope between Ryan's ankles, enough for him to walk normally, but he'd have a tough go of it if he tried running from them. He then secured his bound wrists with another length of rope to Charlie's saddle. Charlie would take the lead, and Hatter could keep an eye on him from their position in the rear.

Ryan had descended into silence, thankfully, although from the mad glint in his eyes he'd not hold out any hope that he'd stay that way. He could be watching lizards crawling around behind his eyeballs for all Hatter knew what was going on inside his head, but as long as he would shut up and cooperate, he didn't much care. He'd let Jack worry about getting sense out of him.

Hatter leaned in close, speaking to him in low measured tones, "Listen to me closely, you sorry sod. If you know what's good for you, you will keep you gob shut and not give us any trouble. Try anything… and I mean anything, and I'll make this trip hell." Hatter gave him a rough shake when he refused to acknowledge his words, "We understand each other, yeah?"

Ryan gave him a terse nod, but it was enough.

* * *

Alice had her arms wrapped around his waist, her thighs pressed tightly on the outside of his as they rode the trail behind Charlie on the path that led to the city. For all the lighthearted teasing they'd been engaging in, it was driving him mad to be so near to Alice again and to not be able to do anything about it. He covered it with laughter and smiles and teasing innuendos, but the truth of it was, he needed to touch her with an intensity that was nearly unfathomable. Alice was not content to simply hold on to him, either. Her soft little hands had slipped up under his t-shirt to rest on his bare skin, and the little caresses from her fingertips were the worst of it.

"Alice," he admonished, the roughness in his voice betraying his state of arousal.

"What?" she asked innocently, but she had to work to hide what hearing her name from his lips it in that low raspy tone did to her.

"You are pure evil, love. Through and through… it's not nice to tease when I'm not able to do anything about it," he replied softly.

One of her hands dipped lower, coming to rest just inside and below the waistband of his low-slung jeans. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. This was beginning to get painful.

"Turnabout, love," he warned.

It had been pure hell to lie beside her last night, and to not take it any farther than they had. He needed the connection and reassurance that she was truly with him once more. He needed _her._

Alice leaned forward to breathe into his ear, "I'm counting on it."

Hatter turned in the saddle to look back at her, and though a smile was playing upon his lips, the look in his eyes was intense. Lust, love, desire and need all tangled up inside of him, and Alice was frozen by the weight of what lay beneath those dark depths. The breath left her lungs in a rush.

He tugged her hand free from his jeans, brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, his tongue flicking out to taste her, "Play nice," he said, settling her hand safely around his waist once again.

Alice swallowed hard and smiled back, "For now," she agreed.

They would only get a couple of hours ride in today, but it would make the journey in the morning that much shorter. Charlie sang as he rode, Ryan trudged along behind him sullen and silent, and Hatter and Alice spoke of what had befallen them both since they'd been parted. As Alice imparted some of the finer details of her escape from Ryan's brother, Hatter declared that as soon as they were safely back home, Erica was getting a raise, provided they still had a tea shop.

"Why wouldn't we?" Alice asked, confused.

Hatter sighed and thought about the best way to explain it to her. He'd not wanted to bring it up before; there was no sense in worrying her about _could_ _be's_ and _mights_. He saw no help for it now. He could just as much lie to Alice as he could cut off his right arm, and it would likely be just as painful. Even then, he was not quite sure how to explain it without sending her into a panic.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked; he'd been silent too long.

He cleared his throat, "Rabbit holes are tricky with time. The mirror can be calibrated, to a certain extent… but the rabbit holes do not allow for that." He placed one of his hands on top of hers, "Alice… we might lose months or years, or hardly any time at all."

"Years?" she asked, her voice small. He'd explained that they skewed time differently, but _years?_

"Possibly," he admitted, but hastened to add, "From what I have read and heard, most times very little time passes, but… the possibility is there."

"You _can_ get us back though, right?" she asked, putting things she couldn't change out of her mind for the moment.

"I think so," he answered honestly. He knew it was best to not fill her with false hope. He had an idea of how to cross, but it wasn't as if he'd ever done it himself. "I'll do all I can to make it happen, love. And if you're right about Jack, and he doesn't lop me head off, then he'll be _more_ than happy to help me find a way back home."

Alice's heart stuttered at his words. Despite all his reassurances, she still wondered if he'd ever truly be comfortable in her world; hearing him call it 'home' had laid the final niggling remainders of her fear to rest. Her arms tightened around him, and she pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. He shifted in the saddle to look back at her again, a question in his eyes.

"Home?" she wondered if he'd realized he had called her world his home, or if it had just slipped out.

He nodded and grinned briefly before his face went serious, "Yes, love. Home."

He'd realized.

* * *

They made camp for the evening in a clearing nearby the river. The wood had lightened perceptibly; they had finally left the forest of Wabe, and they all (save Charlie) breathed a sigh of relief. The journey hadn't been kind to Ryan; it seemed as if every stray branch had made its way into his path, every root reached up to make him stumble. By contrast, Charlie, Hatter and Alice rode through unmolested. Hatter found himself wondering about the words of the Cheshire; maybe Wonderland really _did_ have some sort of sentience. If so, it certainly was not fond of Ryan Shipley, he smirked. It was nice to not be the one on the raw end for once.

Charlie portioned out some hardtack and dried meat for Ryan, and began putting together a hearty stew for the rest of them. Charlie had taken the responsibility of taking charge of the prisoner very seriously, and he insisted that _he_ be the one to make sure he was kept fed and secured. Charlie had also been the one to insist that they not waste good food on him, instead breaking out the emergency rations. Hatter was happy to let the old knight feel as if he was in charge of the (as Charlie put it) 'traitorous villain,' but just the same, he would be keeping a watchful eye on him.

Their meal wouldn't be ready for a while yet, and at the moment, Hatter felt reasonably safe leaving Ryan to Charlie's charge long enough for him to gather enough wood to keep the fire burning throughout the night. Charlie had tied him to a tree, and he'd truly gone a bit overboard in securing him. He told Charlie where he was headed, gave a wave to Alice where she was gathering water from the river, and headed out.

Alice watched curiously as Hatter disappeared into the woods surrounding their little campsite. She smiled to herself as she formulated an idea. They'd had precious little time alone, and this was the perfect opportunity to steal a few moments. Besides, she was done filling the canteens, and she'd bet he could use the help. She crept as quietly as she could through the forest, but by the time she had Hatter in her sights, he'd already heard her coming.

He quirked an eyebrow, breaking out in a cocky amused smile as she abandoned her attempts at stealth, "You were tryin' to sneak up on me?"

She stalked over to him, pressed her body to his and backed him up to the nearest tree. Bemused, he dropped the branch in his hand and let her take him where she would, his arms going around her automatically.

Alice smiled up at him wickedly, "I wanted to surprise you."

"Hmm. With what?" he teased, but his voice had already gone low and rough, his body responding to hers.

Alice closed the remaining gap between them as her answer, going on her toes to slant her lips over his, "This," she whispered as they broke for air.

He kissed her again, fevered and insistent. His arms tightened around her to pull her closer still, as if any space between them was too much to bear. The rush of heat and passion was overwhelming in its intensity, leaving them both gasping. Hatter pressed his forehead to hers as he broke away, finally.

He closed his eyes and drew in long shuddering breaths before he was able to make himself release her, "Alice… we need to get back, and if you kiss me again like that I'll not be able to find the will to stop."

He smiled as he said it, but there was nothing light or gentle in the fire burning behind his eyes. Alice nodded, cupping his cheek and brushing her thumb over his lips. He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes briefly, savoring her touch.

"I wish we had some time to be alone," Alice whispered.

Hatter gave a short laugh, "Yeah. Understatement of the century, that is."

Alice smirked her response, and then bent to begin gathering firewood alongside him, "I also came over to help," she admitted, shaking off the mood of the passionate interlude with more effort than she liked.

"Good. I don't fancy the idea of Charlie all alone with that nutter for too long. The more quickly we get done, the better," he replied gravely.

* * *

Charlie's stew was delicious, and Hatter took immense pleasure in eating it while Ryan choked down tasteless travel rations. It served the bugger right. Ryan had started ranting shortly after he'd finished his meal, and Charlie volunteered an extra sock to serve as a gag. Ryan was still struggling and attempting to speak, but the sound was now muffled enough to ignore. Neither he nor Alice could find it within them to offer up much sympathy to Ryan, and he'd not helped matters by loosing a string of profanities and graphic descriptions of what he'd like to do to his captors, and then what he'd like to do to their corpses afterwards. Hence the gag.

As they settled in for sleep at the end of the evening, Alice insisted on taking the first watch; she had the feeling that if she left it to Hatter or Charlie to wake her, they'd both insist they had been wide awake again and didn't see the need. Hatter and Charlie both needed rest as much as she did… probably more, and she wasn't going to let their misplaced chivalry deprive them of it. Hatter had attempted to argue with her, but he'd thrown his hands into the air in exasperation once he'd found that no tactic was going to work on her.

Ryan was slumped over, eyes closed. Alice figured he must have finally screamed himself out. Wonderland had been rough on him; it had pushed his tenuous grip on sanity beyond his limits. It would almost be a mercy to kill him, he was so far gone. She spared a thought to wonder how Jack would ever manage to get any comprehensible information out of him, but remembering his mother's methods she decided she really didn't want to know.

She glanced over at Hatter, bathed in the golden glow of the fire, blanket tucked up tight under his chin. She honestly didn't know if he was truly sleeping, or if he was just lying there with his eyes closed to placate her. She wouldn't put it past him, but at least his body was getting some much needed rest, even if his mind was not. She narrowed her eyes at him when she glanced away for a moment and back only to catch him staring at her. She sighed and took a seat next to him, laying the sword within easy reach.

"You are supposed to be sleeping," she gently chastised him.

"And you are meant to be watching the forest, not me," he countered.

She smiled down at him, stroking the dark hair back from his brow, "Well, the least you could do is close your eyes and pretend, and you are _in_ the forest, so that counts as watching it."

He made an amused noise and closed his eyed obligingly, relaxing under her soft touch. Alice loved running her hands through Hatter's thick unruly mop of hair, and lucky for them both, he liked to be petted.

"Do ya have any idea how frightened I was that you'd been killed?" Hatter asked softly, cracking his eyes open to look at her once more, "It scared the life outta me, Alice."

She nodded, "Me too. And then I couldn't get to you because nobody told me how that stupid transport talisman worked, and all I could think of was that you needed me, and I couldn't help you."

She laid her hand to rest over his heart, comforted by the steady rhythm underneath her palm.

He took her hand in his, still looking up at her with that same gravely serious expression, "I told you… if I had breath in my body, I'd find my way back to you."

"_I_ found _you_," she smiled, though her eyes were filling with tears. She'd come too close to losing him.

"So you did," he admitted, emotion welling up in him; he'd been thinking the very same thing.

Alice bent down, brushed her lips over his. It was too much for him, too much for him to withstand, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to. He deepened the kiss, tasting Alice's heated response.

He broke the kiss, swept up the blanket and the sword as he moved to stand, and then held out his hand for her, "Come on… we'll stay close," he whispered, glancing over at the sleeping forms of Charlie and Ryan.

She took his hand, how could she not when he was looking at her like that?

TBC

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A/N: So what do you think? Hope you liked it. Ryan's suffering a bit, here… but not nearly enough, I think. Please tell me what you think? Feed my muse and review?

**Missing Reel? Oh, yeah. Sooo happening. *update* Published! Clicky on my name to go to my profile where all my stories are listed or... **** Take out the spaces and go to: **

**www. fanfiction. net/s/6394780/1/Stolen_Time_in_the_Moonlight_A_Forever_MR**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: There is just the tail end of the dialogue from the Missing Reel for last chapter included in the beginning. I feel it's important to the story. :) Sorry for the longer delay on this one. I swear, I've got the plague… but apparently most folks call it the flu. I've been sleeping more than writing. Hope ya'll like this one, I'm oddly nervous about it. I'll bet one thing though… it will surprise you. **

**Thanks for reading, and I'll shut it now.**

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Chapter 29

They had needed the time alone to reconnect, and it served to soothe and reassure them both, body and mind. They held each other afterwards, trembling and spent. Hatter pressed kisses to her face, her neck and her hair and she did the same, kissing every place she could reach.

He pressed his forehead to hers, needing to say it, needing to tell her how he felt, "I'm sorry. Never again, I promise. I swear it," he moved back so he could look into her face, "I'll never let anything happen to you again," he rasped, his words breaking along with his heart. He'd failed her.

She shushed him, stroking his hair, "I wasn't your fault, it _wasn't. _I love you, Hatter, and I don't need you to protect me… I just need you to love me."

He nodded, but the pain was still there, "With all m'heart, Alice," he replied, searching her face to see if she understood the depth of feeling he had for her.

She kissed his lips, and then stared deeply into his dark eyes, made darker in the pale moonlight, "I know."

He smiled slowly, his heart made a little lighter "Good."

They dressed with slow reluctance, both saddened that this private moment between them had to end. Hatter pulled the sword from the ground at their feet and wiped the blade on his jeans. He figured they were going in the dustbin straight away as soon as they got home, anyway; a little more dirt wouldn't hurt.

He and Alice walked back into the camp, as quiet as they were able. Hatter fervently hoped that nothing had happened while they were away, but he expected that they would have heard it. Ryan was still sat against the tree, head down and tied securely; Hatter let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. Charlie was in his resting spot, snoring musically, and the large feline sitting on his chest didn't seem to be disturbing him in the least. Hatter stiffened, his blood running cold at the sight of the Cheshire.

"Cheshire! What're ya doin?" he asked incredulously.

Hatter put his arm out, placing his body in between Alice and the Cheshire. The Cheshire just grinned, and then vanished slowly from his tail to his nose.

"You're welcome, Guardian," came his echoing reply.

"Was that what I think it was?" Alice asked quietly.

"Yeah. Afraid so," he replied darkly.

"Well, what did it mean? Isn't it on our side?" Alice asked.

Hatter turned to look at her, deadly serious, "The Cheshire is on its _own _side."

"I'm here to help, idiot… but I wouldn't have done if _she _hadn't asked it of me, you ungrateful git," came the Cheshire's voice from near Hatter's right ear.

He spun to face the voice, sword held at ready, but the Cheshire didn't appear. "I don't fancy accepting help from the likes of you… I don't know your price," Hatter said cautiously.

"Free… mostly," the Cheshire answered, this time from the left.

Hatter growled in frustration and lowered the sword, "Nothing is free," he argued, but this time the cat failed to grace him with a reply.

Alice looked over to him, bewildered by the exchange, "Didn't you say it helped you before?"

Hatter nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, it did, but I'm telling ya Alice," he cast a wary glance around the perimeter of the camp, shrugged and decided there was no way to hide from the Cheshire if he were listening and continued, "they are of ambiguous intent, at best. It's not wise to accept anything of value, if ya can't repay. I'm _not_ stayin' here, no matter _what_ he called me, so I'll not ask for his aid."

Alice paled, "Is that what this 'Guardian' business is about? Making you _stay?_" she demanded.

Hatter drew her to the edge of the camp, not wanting to wake Charlie, "I don't know, Alice. I wish I did, but I _do_ know that I can't afford a mistake with the likes of a creature like the Cheshire. Pure Wonderland magic, he is. He's one of the _old ones. _Best to just avoid them."

He took one look at her determined and insatiably curious face and tried to forestall the inevitable interrogation, "Look, Alice… it's late. You need to get some rest. I'll finish up this watch, and I'll explain about it tomorrow, yeah?" he offered.

"I told you, I'm taking a watch," she insisted.

"You _did_," he argued, "It's my turn."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "If you think that _that_ counted as my watch…"

"You _were _watching… sort of," he smirked, "And I'm not the least bit sleepy," he countered.

She raised her eyebrows at him challengingly, her jaw set, "Fine. Then _you_ keep watch." Hatter began to grin, surprised at her relatively easy acceptance; she smiled back predatorily, "I'll just keep you company."

He threw his hands up, "Oh, for cryin' out loud, Alice. What will that accomplish?"

"Then let me finish my watch," she smirked.

He let out a heavy exasperated sigh, "I honestly cannot sleep, yet… not with the Cheshire out there," he drew her hands into his, speaking softer, "I just want you to get some sleep, since I can't."

She smiled up at him, "And I can sleep in the saddle, and you can't."

He considered, a small smile playing about his lips. How he had _missed_ her, missed _this_, as frustrating as it could be.

He kissed her softly, "Okay. How about this? You have a lie down while I watch… keep me company, and then we'll switch, yeah?"

She rolled her eyes, "You expect me to fall asleep?"

"No, of course not," he smirked, "No more than I will."

She rolled her eyes but laughed, "Alright."

She lay down, her head pillowed in his lap, "Tell me about the old ones."

Hatter spun her all the stories he'd learned about the first inhabitants of Wonderland, to include the Cheshire. She said the Cheshire had always been her favorite, and Hatter had laughed ruefully. The Cheshire could be a powerful ally; the only problem was in knowing that he actually _was_ your ally. Alice smiled at this, commenting that it was like someone else she once knew. She drifted in a half-lucid state as she listened to Hatter's lilting narrative. She knew that this was his intent, to get her to rest. She also had not one doubt that should she fall asleep, he'd let her stay that way. She couldn't fault him for it; she planned to do the same.

She switched out with him after she figured a couple of hours had passed. Hatter tried to protest that he wasn't tired, but she heard the fatigue in his voice, and saw it in his face. She didn't have the same gift with words as Hatter did, nor the same lexicon of stories to pull from, so she simply stroked his hair and talked with him. His end of the conversation grew shorter and shorter, although she knew he wouldn't quite allow himself to sleep. He was likely the most stubborn man she knew.

Hatter woke Charlie for his turn when there were but a few hours left before dawn. They had both tacitly agreed to let the old knight sleep until it was near time to wake up anyway. Charlie took over the watch cheerfully, stating he'd have breakfast waiting for them when they awoke. Alice and Hatter were asleep within minutes, finally succumbing to the desperate need for rest.

A screeching yowl woke them with a start; Hatter was on his feet in an instant. Charlie was struggling with Ryan, and although the younger man was still tied to the tree, his hands were free and he appeared to be winning. He stormed over, pushing Charlie back out of the way. Somehow, Ryan had gotten his hands on Charlie's dagger, and he was now brandishing it at Hatter.

"Put it down," Hatter threatened, "You're not going anywhere."

Ryan grinned too brightly, his eyes wide and glassy, "That's the idea."

He put the dagger to his neck, pressing the tip into his flesh. Alice watched in horror as blood welled up, dripping over the blade. Hatter sprung into action, knocking the blade away from Ryan's neck. Ryan fought him as he tried to apply pressure to the wound; Hatter drew back his fist and let it fly, knocking him unconscious.

"Alice… a little help?" he called out, all the while cursing and grumbling under his breath as he tried to staunch the bleeding.

They got Ryan bandaged and re-secured, and rather than wait on him to awake, Hatter suggested they tie him by hands and feet and put him over the saddle behind Charlie. It would speed their progress considerably, although Ryan would likely suffer a few bumps and bruises because of it. The thought didn't bother him overmuch.

* * *

They made good time through the forest, the city coming into view after only a few hours on the trail. Ryan had to be gagged again, as soon as he'd come to he'd started screaming at the top of his lungs and ranting incoherently. Charlie had been taken in by Ryan, lulled by his seeming complacency, but he swore he would not be fooled again. Hatter had his doubts, but he didn't figure they would have Ryan in their presence that much longer; they would reach the watchtower by midday.

Alice knew Hatter was worried about meeting up with Jack, but she didn't have any alternatives to offer him. The nearer they got to the watchtower, the more tension he held in his body and the less he spoke, his thoughts turning inwards. She asked him point blank if he didn't want to go through with this, but he'd abruptly stated that he was going to, like it or no. She offered to go meet with Jack herself, and leave him to watch from a distance, but he wouldn't hear of that either. Hatter said he just wanted to get it over with.

* * *

Hatter studied the watchtower with trepidation; there were way too many hiding places in the surrounding forest for him to feel comfortable meeting Jack there. He hated this; he just wanted to get back to his home and his tea shop and the life he'd built free of intrigues, deceptions and shady royalty. He dismounted, helped Alice down out of the saddle, and then went to rid Charlie of his excess cargo. He gripped Ryan by the back of his jacket and pulled him off of the back of Charlie's horse, dumping him unceremoniously on the ground.

"If ya need a bit of a rest, Charlie-" Hatter began as the old knight dismounted slowly, wincing.

"Are you implying that I'm not fit to keep riding?" Charlie asked, affronted.

Alice shot a warning glance at Hatter and answered Charlie's question before Hatter could, "No, not at all. I was just ready to have a bite to eat, and I was hoping that I would have your company before you headed out to the palace, is all."

Charlie gave her a deep bow, straightening with a beneficent smile for her, "Of course, Alice of Legend. I'd be delighted. Nothing could please me more than to-"

"Alice, I'm going to take a look around," Hatter called out. He tilted his head in Ryan's direction, silently asking if she was good to watch him.

Alice nodded, almost imperceptibly. Hatter had given her the dagger he had concealed in his boot, and besides, he was confident in her ability to handle a bound and gagged Ryan. He wanted to check out the surrounding area; he'd feel a lot more comfortable about this meeting once he was assured no one was laying in wait. He had to admit, it was his own prejudice against Jack that was making him uneasy, not any other sense that something was amiss.

Charlie rode off to inform Jack they'd made it, although he had protested leaving his royal prisoner alone with them. It had taken Hatter some fast talking, but he'd ended up convincing Charlie that informing Jack of their arrival was much more critical to the success of their mission. He passed the time while they waited talking quietly with Alice about the process of getting them home, and the likelihood of finding the Stone of Wonderland in a place the size of New York. He figured they'd send it back with the Ten of Clubs, if they managed to find it… but that meant they had to find _him_ as well. In the end, he'd had to admit he needed Jack's help.

* * *

They watched as Jack rode in, accompanied by Charlie and three of his suits. Hatter bristled at the sight of him, but managed to rein in the impulse to draw the sword at his side. Alice shot him a warning glance, and he took a deep breath and pulled on an unimpressed and bored façade. He'd not give Jack the satisfaction of knowing how much his presence bothered him. Jack dismounted, directing his suits and Charlie to take charge of Ryan, and then broke away from them to approach Hatter and Alice. Alice called out to him first, hoping that she could prevent the two alpha males from getting into a pissing contest.

"We got him, Jack… but I don't know how much good he'll be to you," Alice remarked as Jack strode over to them.

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"He's gone mental," Hatter explained, carefully keeping his demeanor easy and confidant.

Jack turned his piercing blue eyes on Hatter for the first time, acknowledged his presence with a curt nod, "That's not likely to be much of a problem. I have staff that can get most anything out of him, no matter how far gone he has become."

Hatter's brow creased as he looked at the king, some of his unease bleeding through as his suspicions grew, "How do ya plan on doing that?"

Jack smiled tightly, "As mad as my mother was, some of her techniques of interrogation had merit. I've kept the Doctors Dee and Dum on, under very tight supervision. Lucky for me, as long as they have someone to ply their craft on, they are quite happy to continue to work for the crown."

Alice gripped Hatter's arm, shaken by the idea that Jack would employ such evil and sadistic men. She'd had a terrifying experience with them in the short time she'd been in their tender care, and they were the ones that had given Hatter the five circular burn scars on his ribs and stomach. He'd admitted that they'd done a number on his mind as well. She honestly would not have thought that Jack would tolerate those sorts of people, much less employ them himself.

Hatter nodded, his suspicions confirmed. He spared a glance for Alice, wondered if the revelation had done anything to reinforce his insistence that Jack could be just as ruthless as his mother. He was not surprised, but he could tell she was.

"One you get the information you need from him, what will you do with him then?" Alice asked, proud that her voice came out clear and steady, when she felt anything but.

Jack looked over to where Ryan was struggling futilely with his suits in distaste, "My scientists are trying to discover how to restore emotions to those that are drained. I have made some progress using my mother's former allies as test subjects, but they are primarily Wonderlandians, and there is only so much progress that can be made. We still have a few Oysters that escaped disposal, and they are in no shape to live productive lives, as they are. Ultimately, I'd like to restore them. I dislike the thought of experimenting on _them_… but this piece of offal should do quite nicely. From what you have told me of him, an exceptionally large dose of conscience and guilt should render him quite tractable, and then we can work on all the other emotions. Hate… fear… sadness."

Alice paled as the implications of that sunk in, "That's… torture."

Hatter swallowed hard, his stomach twisting at the thought of living as a puppet, not even in control of one's own emotions, "He'll be driven mad by the guilt… and then you plan to inflict emotions he's not even lost on him? What will that do to him?"

Hatter would like to see Ryan dead for what he'd done to Alice, but what Jack was proposing was the complete loss of the man's self. It was horrifying on a level that he could hardly conceive of. The thought that this could be done to _anyone_ was enough to make him physically ill. He reevaluated his assessment of Jack once more; he was a bad man to make an enemy of. He had all the ruthlessness of his mother, coupled with the intelligence to use it to his best advantage.

"Why do you care what happens to him? He gets you what you want, and that is all _you've_ ever cared about" he lifted an eyebrow at Hatter. He shifted his gaze to Alice, "and he's able to help _your_ people that are trapped here."

Hatter nodded, his jaw clenching, "You're a hard man, Jack."

"Mercy? From you?" Jack acerbically replied.

Hatter just shook his head, "Think what ya like about me, but even _I_ think what you plan for him is monstrous. At least your mother would have just cut off his head and been done with it."

Alice stared wide eyed at the two of them, taken aback by the seething hostility between the two. She hadn't thought it would be quite this bad, the air almost crackled with it.

Jack narrowed his eyes, "I do what I have to… a task that was not made any easier by your actions."

"You invited it, remember?" Hatter shot back, his nostrils flaring as his hands formed white knuckled fists.

"Hey!" Alice interrupted, "Stop it; this isn't what we're here for."

Hatter met her gaze, his cheek muscles still ticking as he gritted his jaw, and then nodded. He would try to put it behind him; he just wanted to get home, and he needed Jack to do it.

"It must rankle to have to pardon me… that it, if you plan to live up to your word?" Hatter challenged.

"_Some_ of us are bound by our word," Jack tossed back at him, "I'll do it, _Guardian_," he spat out the last word like it was poison.

Hatter stiffened again, but Alice forestalled him from speaking with a hand on his arm. Enough was enough.

"Jack, you don't know him at all… and I'm beginning to think I didn't know _you_, either," Alice remarked.

Jack softened, giving her a small smile, "Please understand. I can use the prisoner as an example. My use of him will save me doing the same to countless others, and it will perhaps allow us to undo some of what has been done to your people. I have to give my enemies pause when they think to cross me. This is not what I would choose, had I another option. Perhaps someday. "

Hatter nodded, understanding instantly. One example like this would make Jack's enemies fear how far he was willing to go to punish those that opposed him. He didn't agree with the man's methods, but he understood them. What he _didn't_ understand was all this business about being a Guardian, and why even _Jack_ was keying in on it. He knew he should have asked Charlie more about it when the subject came up.

"Right. What is the plan then?" Hatter asked, putting his personal feelings about Jack aside for the moment.

Jack smiled tightly, "Well, I'm afraid Alice didn't leave me many options, but thanks to that sword you carry, I have a few more."

Hatter's brow creased, he shot Alice a bewildered glance at Alice, but she seemed as confused as he was.

Jack explained, "I've spread the word that you have returned from a top secret mission. I said that our falling out was a farce, meant to confuse those that would leak information. That sword you're wearing will confirm that you are a friend to the crown, and your place at Alice's side will remove any doubt. You will return to the palace as my honored guests, and then I will do all that I can to get you out of Wonderland as swiftly as possible, after I extract what information I can out of the prisoner. I warn that it may not be that easy to leave; rabbit holes can be… challenging. When you get to the Oyster world, find the Stone of Wonderland," Jack finished.

"And?" Hatter prompted.

Jack's jaw tightened, his expression growing sour, "And, since you are the new Guardian, it is to remain with you for safekeeping."

"Woah. Wait, just… wait. I'm not coming back. My life is with Alice now," Hatter insisted.

"Well I certainly don't want you back either," Jack snapped, "and should you find the Ten of Clubs, send the traitor back in his custody_. _Alice will keep the Stone. She will hold it until it is needed, and you are expected to pass it down through your line of descendants until a time which it is needed again. I have the means to cross, and I know where to find you." He looked to Alice, "The ring has always been yours… as has the Guardian, apparently."

Jack cleared his throat, "You, the man now known as David Lee Hatter, are charged with Guardianship of the Stone of Wonderland, and as Guardian to the rightful Custodian of the ring… Alice Helen Hamilton. As King and the rightful monarch of the land, I declare it so."

Alice and Hatter traded a stunned look between them; for once, Hatter found himself at a loss for words.

"I will declare it in a formal ceremony tomorrow. You have solved a very pressing problem for me; I can now act as if I have sent the Stone away, instead of admitting its loss. Guardianship is as old as the Knights themselves; no one will dare argue the decision," he declared haughtily.

"And then you'll help us get home, right?" Alice asked, just to be sure.

"Yes, of course. Then you can take care of the second part of your promise to me. The person that has stolen the Stone obviously plans to do something with it, and I think Wonderland has problems enough without a rouge portal to worry about. We'll discuss it later, I'll send back a scarab for you, after we have the prisoner secured," Jack stated imperiously, turning to leave without a backwards glance.

Alice and Hatter just stared at each other, still confused by this rapid turn of events.

**TBC**

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A/N: So… what do you think? Jack and Hatter certainly have some bad blood, yeah? So how's that for Ryan? Pretty nasty end, if I do say so. Fitting.

Soooo twisty?

Please tell me what you think? Reviews feed my poor little muse and help fuel my writing.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Just want to say… reviewers, ya'll are awesome. Thanks so much for taking a moment to hit the review button. **

**Really hope you like this!**

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Chapter 30

Hatter watched the figures of Jack, Charlie, and his suits disappear over the horizon as they rode off with Ryan, unease stirring in his belly. He glanced over at Alice, curious to see what she made of all this. He was having a difficult time working through it all; he felt as if he was stood in the midst of a hurricane. It seemed that no matter how he tried to avoid it, he'd be drawn into the machinations of the court.

Alice gave him a small smile, his unease echoed in her, and shrugged, "I guess we wait."

He shook his head slowly, "I don't much like this, Alice. I'm feeling that we're being used as pawns in Jack's little games of court intrigue."

Her face fell, "I'm sorry," she sighed.

He quirked a questioning brow, puzzled at her reaction, "How's that?"

"I agreed to help him," she replied, chagrined at how easily she'd been taken in by Jack… again.

He made a noise of agreement, "Ya did, but I don't think ya had much choice, to be honest. No need for any apologies, love. We'll just keep our eyes open, yeah? We'll get this done and get home, and then we'll get the rest of this sorted."

"Yeah," she agreed, but he could tell she didn't believe it.

The scarab arrived a short time later. Trading an uneasy look, they entered the vehicle. They rode in the scarab in silence, unwilling to speak of anything of import in the presence of the suits. Hatter was deep in thought, and Alice couldn't help but remember the last ride she'd taken in one of the flying contraptions. She'd had her whole world come crashing down around her. Her father had failed to recognize her… had even said he didn't care if they killed her. Jack was to be executed, although he'd managed to talk his mother into sparing her life, and Hatter had been captured. She'd assumed he was dead... because of _her_; he had charged in to try to save her after she'd gone and left him behind. She reached out and took his hand, needing the reassurance of his touch.

Hatter studied her, his dark eyes concerned, a crease appearing between his brows. He ducked his head so he could speak in her ear, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, "Thinking about my last ride in one of these," she admitted.

He squeezed her hand, and then let it go in favor of putting his arm around her. She leaned into him, letting his warm presence by her side wash through her. She just wanted to go home. Damn Jack for his little games, but she'd made a promise… and he needed her help. He really must be in a precarious position to have to resort to such violent and merciless tactics.

They were met at the castle with fanfare and cheering, much to Hatter's dismay. He kept his left arm firmly around Alice as they were paraded inside the palace, down through the long corridors and finally to a suite of rooms designated for them to use during their stay. A chamberlain was waiting for them inside the suite, a pleasant smile upon his face as he described the evening's planned event, and the facilities offered for them. He also explained that their eveningwear was laid out for them, and that he'd send a maid to assist them with their bath and in dressing prior to the ceremony.

Hatter pushed him out of the room with a charming smile, explaining that they would call if they needed anything, but that they preferred to get ready on their own. Alice bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing out loud as the chamberlain sputtered and tried to argue, but against smooth-talking Hatter, the man never stood a chance. By the time he left he was thanking _Hatter._ She lost her smile as he turned to face her, the charming façade gone. His face had gone hard and grim as he paced through the suite, looking behind curtains and doors. She let him go; she'd get her explanation once he was done.

Once he'd been convinced that they were indeed alone, he turned to face her, "Alice… I don't think we're safe here. Did ya see how some of Jack's people were looking at us?"

She opened her mouth to answer, and nearly jumped out of her own skin as she felt something brush along her leg. She gave a short scream and shivered; there was nothing there.

"What is it?" Hatter asked, his words edged with panic. He was not very levelheaded when it came to Alice, especially a _screaming_ Alice.

"Very wise observation," came the disembodied voice of the Cheshire from the direction of the plush chair that was sat in the corner.

Alice calmed considerably when she realized it had been the cat that had brushed up against her… if one used the word _cat _loosely.

"What the hell are ya doin' here?" Hatter questioned, his voice hushed. He'd _thought_ that the Cheshire would be confined to the forest; he must be an old one to have the strength necessary to appear here, away from the forest and earth that fueled his magic.

"Warning you… _again. _Stay here no longer than necessary," the Cheshire warned, the faintest outline of him appearing in the chair before it winked out completely.

"What? Why?" Alice demanded, confused.

She traded a troubled glance with Hatter as the Cheshire failed to answer. It was gone.

"One night," Hatter declared, "then we leave."

Alice nodded, "I think you're probably right on this one."

* * *

They surveyed the clothing laid out on the bed for them, Alice with trepidation and Hatter with a moue of disgust. The dress laid out for Alice showed considerably more skin than she was used to, and Hatter couldn't believe anyone had the gall to lay out a plain suit for him in Heart colors, complete with a Heart insignia on the lapel. The complete and utter lack of style was bad enough, but there was no way in hell he'd dress like one of Jack's trained lackeys.

The Queen had always made it a point that she expected all of those loyal to her to wear something that declared their allegiance whilst in her presence. Hatter had joyfully thrown away all such articles, with the exception of the heart paisley patterned shirt he'd been wearing when he met Alice. He couldn't make himself part with that at the time. He wondered idly what had happened to it. He'd been in a bit of a rush when he left.

"Not in a hundred million years. No way. I'm _not_ wearing that," Hatter violently objected, pointing accusingly at the clothes.

Alice snickered at his vehemence; it was just clothes. If _anyone_ should be objecting, it should be her. She had scarves with more material than the dress they had picked out for her. She laughed outright, "And I really don't think I can carry that off. It's got more cutouts than it does fabric."

Hatter scowled, "Oh, you can carry it off, believe me, but I'd not have a moment's piece if a stunner like you appeared in public in _that._"

Alice picked up the filmy white dress and examined it closer, noting that they had been kind enough to also include a white mesh thong, "How considerate," she commented dryly.

Hatter pressed his lips together, but he was unable to hide his smirk. He supposed what was picked out for him truly could have been worse; at least he wouldn't be half nude.

She ignored him and continued her inspection; the hem of the dress was worn, some of the stitching loosened. Alice's brow furrowed in confusion, "This is used," she stated.

Hatter nodded, "Very likely. Our textile production is very limited… again, the Queen." He picked up the red cotton boxers left for him by the waistband between his thumb and forefinger, "And there is not enough soap in the world to make me wear another man's underpants."

Alice agreed wholeheartedly with that sentiment. They rang for the chamberlain, but instead they got a foul tempered older gentleman. After a few moments with a very insistent and aggravated Hatter, he agreed to find something a bit more suitable for them to wear for the evening ceremony. Once Hatter explained that unless he found them something _else_ that they would wear what they had on, the man proved more amicable to finding an alternative. Hatter suggested an outfitter that he used to frequent, and pushed the man bodily out the door. He suggested the man bring the appropriate clothing up when they rang for it, and then slammed the door in his face when he begun to ask when that would be.

He'd always disliked the ostentatious royal clothier, and he would lay odds that the man had picked out the outfits himself. The sad little man had always gone out of his way to make Hatter feel like he was a lesser man, simply because his birth was modest. He might have had to accept his little snubs and digs in the past, but Wonderland was no longer ruled by the Queen, and what good was it to be this _Guardian _person if it didn't buy him some respect in the royal palace, anyway?

With that sorted, Hatter moved to the next most pressing problem. They had put off making use of the giant circular tub for far longer than he'd wanted to already. They might as well enjoy the luxuries the palace provided since they were stuck there for the evening.

Hatter turned to face Alice, wearing a flirtatious grin, "Fancy a bubble bath love?"

* * *

Hatter pulled on the pair of soft drawstring trousers and vest he'd discovered in the bedroom and ran a hand through his still damp hair. It felt good to be warm and clean again. The clothes had been left for sleeping in, but there was no way he was putting the clothing he'd been wearing back on his body in the condition it was in. Even though he rinsed the worst of it out in the river, his jeans had been soaked all the way through to his boxers with blood from the bandersnatch, and probably a little of his own as well, and his t-shirt was now little more than a rag.

Alice's clothes had fared much better than his. Although they could stand washing, they were still in good repair, so she had donned them again after their bath. He hated that he'd be meeting with Jack in nightclothes; it was a visible reminder that he was currently dependant on him for yet another thing, but it couldn't be helped. Truth be told, he hated that they had to meet with Jack at all, but they needed to go over the plan for that evening. In order to pull this off, they would need to time everything just so… and it would be dangerous.

He heard Alice answer the door, and he hurried to the front room to join her as she ushered in the royal couple. Hatter was surprised that Queen Claramae had accompanied Jack to meet with them, but he quickly saw why she'd been included. She was sharp and insightful… and she served as another line of interference between Hatter and Jack. Hatter found that he quite liked her, and that she must be a sublime actress to be able to play off the submissive sexpot twit that the court had believed her to be. Better yet, Clara also seemed to have Jack firmly in check. Hatter might have laughed about that in the past, but Alice had a very similar hold on him and suddenly the thought wasn't quite as funny.

They sussed out a workable plan in fairly short order, and then Jack beat a hasty exit. That was probably very prudent on his part, considering that he and Hatter had nearly come to blows again while discussing some of the finer points of Jack's plan. Clara lingered a while longer to discuss how they had settled in. Alice remarked as she finally bid them farewell that she seemed lonely. Hatter imagined that she would be; her position wasn't an easy one, and the royal court was like a pit of vipers.

* * *

Alice looked over at him curiously as he pulled on a pair of trousers, sans boxers, "That can't be too comfortable," she remarked.

Hatter grinned as he tucked in the heavily patterned silk shirt, "Worried about me bits, love?"

Alice rolled her eyes, "Get over here and zip me in."

He strode over and began working the zip up the line of her back. This dress was a vast improvement upon the last, and they had Claramae to thank for it. When she'd heard that there was an issue with their wardrobe, she'd realized the problem immediately, and had offered the use of her own handmaid to find them something suitable.

Alice had graciously taken her up on her offer, thankful that someone in the palace was willing to help. It seemed as if Hatter had scared off the chamberlain; he'd been unwilling to come when they called, and the royal clothier had failed to make another appearance at their suite. The woman Claramae provided was no-nonsense but polite, and she had a good eye for fit, color and size; she'd brought them clothes that fit remarkably well and suited them both in style.

Alice had been outfitted in a crystal studded midnight blue silk chiffon dress that was very much _not_ the style of Wonderland (aside from the glitz of the crystals), but suited her very well. The form-fitting rouched bodice and vee neckline and deep vee back flattered and made the most of her assets, and the delicate puffed cap sleeves both showcased and feminized her toned arms. The gauzy skirt floated out from a slight empire waist accented with a gathered band and the skirt itself fell to just above her knee. It was gorgeous and seemed to be nearly new. The silver kitten-heeled sandals were a little snug, but they were so beautiful that she decided she'd wear them anyway. She'd never let a little discomfort discourage her from a great pair of shoes.

Hatter was thrilled with the outfit she'd found for him. Black trousers with thin purple pin striping, and a silk shirt that, in his eyes, was more akin to a piece of art than mere clothing. It was heavily patterned with traditional tear shaped overlapping paisleys in various tones of brown, tan, burgundy, purple and green set in a cream background patterned with miniature stylized flowers of the same design as inside of the paisleys. Alice swore it was by far the _busiest_ paisley shirt she'd ever laid eyes on, but oddly enough, it looked perfect for Hatter. As usual, he looked good enough to eat.

He'd also been provided a vibrant purple velvet waistcoat, a black swallow-tailed suit jacket and a choice of brown, purple or burgundy tie. He'd gone with the purple. He topped it off with his black fedora and forwent the shoes provided in favor of his boots, now clean and shining. Clara's handmaiden had whisked them away to be cleaned and polished along with the rest of their clothing. When Hatter had remarked how much he liked the shirt she had found for him, she insisted he keep it. His t-shirt was to be thrown away, and he would need something to wear.

Hatter pressed a soft kiss to the nape of Alice's neck after he secured the top eyelet on her dress. He wished that he was able to take the time he wanted to with her; even their tryst in the bath had hardly been enough to take the edge off. Neither of them felt truly safe, and until they were, he couldn't lose himself in her like he wanted to. He just wanted to get this done and over with and get home.

He'd always been an outsider in the formal fetes thrown by the royal family, although as chief tea distributor for the land he'd been forced to attend a few. He'd always done his best to avoid interacting with the court, and thankfully he'd always escaped Jack's attention because a peasant like him wasn't deemed important enough to notice. Still, it had irritated him that Jack hadn't a clue who he was when they'd met the first time. He certainly knew Jack.

After tonight, the entire court would have their eyes on him, whether he liked it or not. He looked forward to the ceremony and celebration to follow with a mixture of distaste, disgust and apprehension, but he'd do this thing. Wonderland was a better place, thanks to Jack, and although it galled him to do so, he'd do what he could to help him for the good of his land.

Alice took Hatter's proffered arm with a nervous smile. It was strange to be walking on his right side when he always set her on his left, but he'd belted the sword on his left, and he didn't want the sword to catch on her dress. Hatter had his charmingly pleasant mask firmly in place, and if Alice didn't know better, she'd swear he was reveling in the attention they received as they were announced as honored guests and ushered into the celebration hall. She _did_ know better; Hatter put on a good show, but he was miserable underneath it all.

To begin the ceremony, Hatter and Alice were called forward to stand before the throne where Jack and Claramae sat waiting. Alice dropped a curtsy as she'd been instructed (specifically, and at great length, by Charlie) and Hatter bowed slightly, a mere breath too deep to be classified as a head nod. Jack's mouth tightened at the almost slight, but he smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Jack stood, addressing the crowd at large, "I have called this gathering… and thrown this fete in celebration, in order to announce some information of grave importance to all of Wonderland."

The crowd hushed, anxious to hear the exciting news, and more importantly, to learn how and why Alice and Hatter had come to be standing in front of the King and Queen when all had believed that they had left Wonderland.

Jack smiled, "My _dear_ friend Hatter," his smile transformed into a tiny smirk aimed at Hatter for a heartbeat before he continued, "was sent on a mission of the gravest importance, and it was so dangerous and of such critical impact that I still may not divulge all of the details. We had to spread the falsehood that he and I had a falling out in order to protect the integrity of the mission. I _will_ say that thanks to Hatter, Wonderland will remain safe."

Jack allowed the shocked chatter to continue for a few moments before he began speaking again, "And if you will pay heed to the sword he carries, Wonderland has produced a Guardian once more."

This time, the chatter of the assembled court rose to a roar. Hatter continued to look unaffected, but Alice noticed he'd tightened his hold on her, as if he wanted her reassurance. She squeezed his forearm, careful to ensure it looked like she'd just slightly shifted her hand where it rested lightly on his arm.

Jack's strong resonant voice broke through the din, commanding the assembled crowd's attention. He repeated the words he'd spoken at the watchtower when he declared Hatter to be the Guardian and added to the end, "I have charged him with this responsibility; he has but to accept it."

Hatter drew in a deep breath and smiled, playing to the crowd, "It would be my honor to serve as Guardian to the Stone of Wonderland, and my deepest honor and privilege to serve as the lifelong Guardian to the rightful Custodian of the Stone, the Lady Alice."

With the last bit, he turned to look into Alice's eyes. She gave a slight nod as she read the complete and utter sincerity written over his face and deeper… into his soul. The crowd cheered wildly, and Hatter turned his attention to watch for those that didn't look quite so thrilled with the prospect. Those individuals would bear watching when Jack broke out with the next bombshell.

"Lady Alice, do you accept the Stone, and pledge to hold it until such time as it is needed again?" Jack questioned with a slight smile, "this time?" he added, pitched low so no one outside their little radius would hear.

"I will," she answered, her voice ringing strong and clear.

Jack allowed them the moment of celebration before he dropped the next bit of news on them. They had discussed that this would be the trickiest part, but Jack had enough loyal suits around him that if things truly got ugly they could get Alice and Hatter out of the palace quickly. Jack said he could deal with the resulting fallout when it was too late for anyone to do anything about it.

"Guardian," Jack thundered, causing a hush to fall once more, "I have a new task for you... a matter of grave importance."

"Yes, You're Majesty? What may I do to serve Wonderland?" Hatter replied, as they had planned.

Jack turned to Claramae; she rose, ready for her part. Jack slipped the ring from her finger, and turned to present it to Alice.

Alice placed the ring on the ring finger of her right hand as Jack began to speak again, his voice echoing in the shocked silence, "Guard the Lady Alice, and the Stone. I charge you to take it to her home world in order to keep it safe, and to keep the people of Wonderland safe from those that would again abuse the power of the Stone."

Hatter bowed, this time a proper bow; this move took some bollocks and he had to admit that Jack had earned this much, at least… for the sake of appearances.

"Yes, You're Majesty. I swear it," Hatter replied.

Jack took advantage of the silence still blanketing the hall. From his inside pocket, he pulled a platinum ring, the band paved with tiny diamonds arranged in a heart shaped patterns and a large heart shaped ruby set in the center, and presented it to Clara, "I would not deprive the Queen of a proper wedding ring. The Stone of Wonderland should never have been treated as such."

Clara accepted the ring with a smile. Alice sincerely doubted Jack had been forgiven for lying to her, but this would go a long way towards redemption. The ring was incredible.

Jack and Clara had spoken with a few key members of their court to prepare them for this moment, and right on cue, they began to applaud. Slowly, and then with greater speed and enthusiasm, the remainder of the court joined in. Jack smiled, pleased that his plan had worked. He would need to make sure that Alice and Hatter were far away by the time it started occurring to members of his court that perhaps the Stone shouldn't leave. Until they did, they were targets.

The remainder of the evening passed as a blur of faces and food and music. Alice and Hatter played the role of honored guests, but as soon as they were able to, they snuck away. Hatter felt as if a million eyes were on himself and Alice, and he honestly felt it was only a matter of time before someone tried something unfortunate. They did manage to catch the chamberlain, and Hatter strong armed the man into leading them to the kitchens. They wanted tea before bed.

Alice snuggled up against Hatter that evening, worn through from the events of the day, "A bed feels sooo good," she remarked.

Hatter laughed, "Would feel even better if it was ours, yeah?"

"Oh, _so_ agreed," she grinned. "By the way, I'd like to state for the record that I take offence to your land's belief that poor little defenseless Alice needs protecting. I don't think I warrant my own personal _Guardian,_" she said the last word with an overly dramatic flair worthy of Hatter's antics.

Hatter laughed, his whole body shaking with mirth, "Oh believe me, I know you are anything but defenseless!"

She elbowed him, "Good. Remember that."

He shifted to look at her, still chuckling. He calmed and grew serious as he looked intently into her stormy blue eyes, although a small smile still played about his lips, "Alice, I will defend your heart above all else. I meant it, when I promised to serve as your Guardian for the rest of my life. Forever."

She smiled, overwhelmed and overcome. She nodded and snuggled closer, "And I'm lucky to have you."

TBC

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A/N: Hmmm. So Hatter and Alice have a large fluorescent target painted on their backs, and they still have to find, and then make it through the rabbit hole. Should be interesting.

**I certainly hope you enjoyed this installment… please let me know if you did (or didn't)? Take a moment to review and encourage my muse? She needs feeding to write quickly *grins***


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Been super busy as of late. I've hardly had time to write! The horror! Ah, but I have a couple days off, so yay for recovering. I do hope you like this one. It's got one of my favorite Hatters in it. I'm sure you'll guess which one.**

**Oh, and if I haven't said so recently, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Your encouragement means so much! Thank you!**

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Chapter 31

Hatter watched Alice as she slept, a small smile playing on his lips. She'd attempted to stay up to talk with him as long as she could stand it, insisting that she was not the least little bit tired. She was, though; she was exhausted. Not the least of the indicators was how her words had begun to slur and how her sentences became halting and disjointed as she tried to keep up her end of the conversation. She hadn't managed to stay awake for very long, and he was glad of it.; she needed her rest. He fervently wished he could sleep as easily, but his brain would not stop its ceaseless yammering.

Too much had happened, and entirely too quickly. He didn't know what to think about it all; he felt unbalanced and confused and he _hated_ that. _He_ had always been the one that sussed out ulterior motives and scheming and shiftiness. He had been an expert in such things, after all. Jack, he understood. He'd never _like_ him, but he understood him and his motives. At least, he _thought_ he did. He was sure of very little, these days. There had been a time when life was simpler, and he'd been sure of everything. He'd just had to survive, and do whatever he had to in order to survive, and as long as he'd not stop to look at himself too closely he'd been able to do that. Looking down at Alice, he shook his head; survival was the right word. He hadn't been _living_.

This _Guardian_ business was yet another source of unease. He appreciated that it could be used to their advantage, and he admitted to himself that they would have done what they could to find the ring anyway, regardless. His conscience would no longer allow him to ignore it; he was not that man anymore, and he never wanted to be him again. The thought of the damage that could be done to Alice's people and his own by allowing a rogue portal to operate between the two worlds was frightening. Just look what the Queen had done… and now that the tea market had been driven underground, it had the potential to be so much worse.

During their meeting with Jack and Clara, Alice had asked why they didn't just lock up the Mirror in a secure location, but Jack explained that although that was the most famous mirror, there _were_ other mirrors out there. There was but one ring, and transport talismans were so rare and also so limited in use that they were an insignificant concern. Besides, it was simple enough to create a mirror. The one in the Hall of the Mirror was (according to record) the sixteenth mirror that had been used by the royal family. What it came down to was protecting the Stone, not the Mirror.

But he wanted them to _keep_ the Stone? Hatter had to admit that they were in little danger in Alice's world of being targeted for having it. After all, anyone that wanted it would have to cross over in the first place… not an easy task to begin with. Hatter had never even heard any reliable claim that anyone other than him (with Ryan in tow) and Alice that had crossed by way of rabbit hole in the last hundred years. To add to the difficulty, if someone managed to get to Alice's world, they would have to find Hatter and Alice, yet another difficult task in a city with a population of eight-point-four million over an area covering over three hundred square miles. He doubted anyone would try it, but things had a nasty habit of coming to bite him later.

He'd rather not have the Stone, and he _certainly_ did not want his Alice to have it. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. First, they had to get home, and _then_ somehow find the _real_ Stone of Wonderland, and then he'd worry about protecting it.

Alice stirred in her sleep, murmuring his name and reaching out for him. He smiled and laced his fingers with hers and bent to kiss her forehead.

"I'm here," he said softly.

She smiled slightly in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. He closed his eyes and succumbed to exhaustion. There would be no shortage of time to worry about it tomorrow.

* * *

An almost silent scrape and creak of a door broke Hatter's light doze. He tensed, instantly awake, every muscle on alert. The shadows shifted and moved; someone was in their room. He quietly moved the bedclothes so that he could move freely and listened carefully for another sign of movement. _There_… coming closer. He leapt from the bed, landing directly in front of the intruder. His hands closed on the man's shirt, and he slammed him backwards into the wall.

Alice was on her feet in moments. She flicked on the light and stood staring as Hatter slammed a large man dressed head to toe in black against the wall of their suite.

"Who are you?" Hatter demanded. Hatter bared his teeth and slammed him back against the wall again when he failed to reply, hard enough to crack the plaster.

"Tell me!" Hatter shouted and slammed him into the wall a third time. The intruder was dazed, but he was beginning to regain his senses. He started to struggle, to escape or maybe to make a grab for the knife he'd dropped when Hatter had slammed him into the wall initially, but Hatter slammed his fist into the man's gut, "Don't," he warned. "We're going to go see the King. I'll let him and his pet torturers get it outta ya," Hatter growled, "You'll wish you had sung when ya had the chance."

"Wait for me," Alice insisted, scooping up her clothes to dress in the adjoining room.

She emerged a short time later after hurriedly pulling on her jeans and t-shirt. Hatter was now holding the man by the throat, and he'd leaned in close to speak in his ear. She wasn't sure what he'd said to the man, but he'd turned pale as a sheet and he was trembling.

"Anything?" she asked, her tone deceptively casual. She'd seen Hatter like this before, but it never failed to unnerve her. The vein at his neck was pulsing, his mouth snarling, and his ordinarily warm dark eyes were anything but… they'd gone cold and hard in their intensity.

"No. Ready?" Hatter answered, moving back so that he could stare the man down.

If possible, the man grew even paler. He made curious little whimpering noises at the back of his throat, but he refused to speak.

"Yeah, let's go," she agreed.

Hatter shifted, awkwardly placing the much taller man in a chokehold.

Alice smirked, "Allow me?"

Hatter cocked a brow and kept his hold, but she thought she could convince him readily enough. Alice gripped the intruder's hand and twisted, applying pressure to the ulnar nerve. He squeeked, and then went on his toes as she tweaked him a little more.

"You can let him go," she said with a small tight smile. "Watch," she commanded as she steered the intruder by his hand.

Hatter nodded, "Good. Wanted me hands free," he replied, his words tight and clipped.

He was _furious, _and it was plain for her to see that he'd stay that way at least until he got some answers. He hadn't bothered to put on shoes or a shirt as he stormed down the long winding corridors towards Jack's chamber. She figured the soft drawstring pajama bottoms he'd worn to bed were at least more decent than the boxers he usually wore. He seemed to know exactly where he was going… a good thing, because she sure didn't. She knew they must be getting closer because there were guards posted in this wing of the palace. One look at Hatter and they allowed him to pass.

"No wonder the security is shit," he remarked under his breath.

The next set of guards at least attempted to stop them, but a look and a growled warning was all it took for them to let them be. The pair of guards in front of Jack's chamber were made of sterner stuff. They paled in the face of Hatter's incandescent rage, but stood their ground.

"Let me in. Now," Hatter grated, dark eyes flashing.

"He is not to be disturbed," the guard on the left refused.

"Oh, he'll want to be disturbed for this," Alice interjected.

"Lady Alice, I'm sorry, but I cannot let you in," the guard apologized.

"I'm going through that door. If you are in front of it, I'll go through you, as well. I suggest you move," Hatter warned.

The guard began to draw his gun and Hatter downed him with a hard right hook. The other guard began to draw his firearm when he saw his comrade drop, but he wasn't fast enough. Hatter turned on him, deadly right fist poised to strike, "Back off!"

The door opened; Jack obviously had decided to deal with this himself. Bleary eyed and confused, he looked from Hatter to Alice to the large man Alice had in a wrist lock. Jack's eyes swept down the line of Hatter's body, taking in his bare feet and sleep trousers and the indignant anger Hatter had finally managed to rein in slightly now that he had Jack stood in front of him. Jack's eyes cleared once he put two and two together. He stepped back and pushed the door open. Hatter saw his eyes catch on the scars on his stomach and chest… he had to know what they were from. _Who_ they were from.

"What's all this about?" Jack asked, gesturing to their prisoner. He motioned for the remaining guard to take him from Alice.

"You tell _me._ I found this guy in our room, and I don't think he was there to serve us breakfast in bed," Hatter acidly replied.

Alice's brow furrowed as something finally occurred to her, "The door was still locked. How did he get into our room?"

Hatter nodded, he'd realized it. He cut a glance at Alice and wondered if she was thinking what he was thinking. "I'd wondered that m'self. Did you send him?" he asked, his tone carefully neutral.

Jack looked down his nose at Hatter, "If I wanted you dead, you would be," he answered coldly, "I don't know how this happened… but I will surely find out."

"Couldn't get him to talk, but we all know the kind of methods you use. I'm pretty sure you'll have better luck." Hatter smiled tightly at the intruder, now being held at gunpoint by Jack's guard, "Best of luck mate, you'll need it." The intruder grinned and opened his mouth to reveal he had no tongue. Alice blanched, disgusted at the brutality of such an act, but Hatter just turned to Jack with a smirk, "Your problem now, at any rate. We're not staying here one more moment. We're leaving. You have anything to aid us you'd better give it now."

Jack opened his mouth to argue, but a terrified scream from the bedroom froze them all in place.

"Clara!" Jack cried, and bolted for the other room; Hatter followed, hard on his heels.

Another man in black had Clara by her long blond hair, and though her nightclothes were stained with blood, she'd somehow managed to get the man's knife from him and was trying valiantly to slice him with it. Jack and Hatter traded a quick glance as understanding passed between them. Hatter moved behind the intruder and grabbed his arms, Alice collected Clara, and Jack let fly a jab, cross, hook and uppercut combination that did Alice proud. After all, she'd been the one to teach it to him. Hatter dropped him to the floor as he went limp in his arms.

"Just a scratch," Alice reported after looking at Clara's bloody arm.

Jack flew to Clara's side; he knelt beside her and fussed and fawned. Hatter and Alice watched, amused and stupefied by the change in self-absorbed, snide and pompous Jack. He'd certainly never taken that tone with Alice, and she was more certain than ever that he'd never had any real love for her. Clara allowed him to comfort her, and Alice knew this moment would repair more damage between them than a hundred ruby rings.

"Sound the alarms! Alice of Legend is in trouble! Stand aside, fools! I am needed," Charlie exclaimed from the corridor.

Hatter moved to intercept him. They _really_ would rather keep this quiet, "Charlie, it's alright. We've got the intruders under control and we'll not want to alert the rest of the palace, yeah?"

Charlie visibly calmed as he saw Hatter, he knew if Alice was in any danger that he would at her side. Although he wouldn't admit it out loud, he trusted Hatter with Alice far more than he trusted himself. He knew the man would die for her… had seen him attempt to do so, in fact, on several occasions.

Jack had the mute intruder escorted off to the little cluster of cells under the palace that served as his dungeon, and sent his most trusted suits to check the rest of the palace for more of them. The one that had broken into Jack's chamber was dead; he'd bitten down on a vial filled with some sort of poison and committed suicide. This had been a serious attempt to kill Jack and Clara, and obviously the mastermind didn't want to be found out.

Because both Hatter and Alice, and he and Clara had been targeted, he had the sneaking suspicion that this had been an attempt at a coup, though not a particularly well orchestrated one. Had they directed the attacks simultaneously, they likely would have managed to kill Clara, and perhaps Jack. He'd been sleeping in the lounge… Clara still hadn't let him back into the bed. As it was, because of Hatter, he and Claramae were safe. Jack was beginning to wonder if he'd misjudged him.

Hatter's eyes narrowed as he spotted a line of black edging one of the panels of the far wall. He strode over to it and wedged his fingers into the crevasse, and then gave it a sharp tug. Obediently, the wall swung open to reveal a long black passageway. His expression grim, Hatter turned to face the others.

"There's one of these in our room, I take it?" he asked Jack.

Jack nodded, "All the rooms. The palace is a maze of interconnected passageways. Some of them go for miles but lead nowhere, and others…" he trailed off, gesturing at the opening.

Hatter's jaw tightened, "We are not safe here. We're leaving tonight, with or without your aid."

Charlie protested, "It's the middle of the night! Are you serious?"

Alice raked a concerned gaze over Hatter. He was clearly exhausted, but she knew he'd never fall asleep in the palace after _this_. Getting away under the cover of night, they could probably find somewhere relatively safe to spend the evening. Safer than _this_ at any rate. She looked at the stubborn set of his jaw and sighed, he'd made up his mind at any rate.

Hatter nodded, "I am."

Charlie turned towards Alice, she cut him off before he could protest further, "We're going, Charlie. It's not safe for us to be here," she glanced over at Clara and Jack, "for anyone."

Jack would do better to keep the suits he trusted implicitly nearby as opposed to trying to spread them thin in order to guard her and Hatter. They were very obviously in need of protecting, and she and Hatter could take care of themselves just fine. She didn't know if Jack would ever manage to get his people to accept the rein of peace and prosperity he imagined for them, or even if they would ever accept him as the rightful monarch, but she did wish him her best in achieving it… he'd need it.

Charlie straightened, "Let me just don my armor, and-"

No Charlie," Hatter cut him off, "We'll go alone." Charlie's face fell, disappointed to be shuffled to the rear guard once more. "The King needs you. He needs people he can trust, and that is you," Hatter added kindly to soften the blow.

Charlie nodded, mollified somewhat. Alice caught Jack's eye and looked to Charlie and back, trying to tell him he needed to chime in.

"Yes, Charlie. I'm afraid I need you here. There is someone that is clearly intent on killing me and the Queen, and this time they even managed to make it into my private chambers," Jack added.

"This time?" Clara asked, her voice deceptively soft, but there was steel underneath.

"Ah… so what will you need?" Jack asked Hatter, neatly sidestepping Clara's question. "I am in your debt, I'll give you whatever you need…and thank you," he said, stumbling slightly over the words although Hatter didn't doubt his sincerity.

Hatter nodded, although his face never lost the wary suspicion that Jack's presence always caused. "A horse, basic provisions, and all the information you can muster on rabbit holes. Quickly."

"Ah! I can help with that," Charlie chimed in.

"We also need our things from our room," Alice added.

Hatter grew pale, "The sword!"

The words had barely left his lips, and the sword was in his hand. He looked at it in astonishment, "What the hell?"

Jack swallowed hard, "You actually _are_ the Guardian, aren't you?"

"Of _course_ he is, or he'd not have that sword," Charlie glared at Jack, "Why do you think no one had found it before? It goes were it is needed, and Alice of Legend hadn't come yet."

Alice gave a short laugh, "You didn't believe it did you?" she asked Jack. She hadn't really believed it herself, but she'd thought _he_ had.

"Alice, I know that in your world people believe Wonderland to be a magical place, but the truth of it is that it has not been that way for a very long time. Most people doubt that it ever was. Other than the touch of talent a few of us have, these things? Real magic? It does _not_ happen… but I'm beginning to believe that just maybe we haven't been paying attention," Jack haltingly explained, awestruck.

Clara nodded, "My mother said a Cheshire had told her that I should be given to the Queen, but I always thought she'd been drinking too much of the Queen's tea. Perhaps not."

"I…" Hatter shook his head, "I've seen some curious things, especially in the last few days, but I thought the magic was leaving us. Look how rare a strong talent is nowadays."

Clara nodded in agreement, as did Charlie. Alice felt out of her element. All she knew was that her Hatter was apparently as unique in his world as he was in hers.

Hatter shrugged, "Where were we?"

Clara sent one of her trusted servants to retrieve the few things they still had stored in their room and then sent for tea and a warm breakfast. After dressing in their now freshly laundered clothes (and Hatter in his new violently paisley shirt), they sat down to try and absorb as much as they possibly could about the legend and lore of the rabbit holes. Hatter wanted to be off within the hour, so the lesson needed to be quick and dirty.

The gist of it was that the Forest of Wabe was the best bet. Charlie explained that the knight's histories said that the Kingdom of the Knights had been built around a rabbit hole. Legend had it that the first humans from Alice's world had crossed over at that point, and they had established a small city which had grown to become a great kingdom. Others believed that the city grew up around the portal once the knights determined how to use them. They had been the masters of inter-dimensional travel once, although most of that knowledge had been lost with their demise. Regardless of the why of it, a rabbit hole was said to be set dead center of the city within the great oak that stood at its center courtyard.

Hatter grinned at this, and said he knew how to open it. It must be a twin to the one in Central Park. Hope blossomed inside them at the news. They could _do_ this. They had a location, and they knew how to open the way. They could get home.

**TBC**

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A/N: Somebody asked me, is Jack evil? I replied, Jack is... Jack. People are seldom completely evil or good, its just a matter of understanding their motivations. What Jack _**is... **_** is pompous, arrogant, and yet completely dedicated to Wonderland. He loves three things and in this order... himself, Wonderland, and Claramae, and he will do anything to protect them. Given enough time, she'll move up to number one, and then maybe he'll not be such a prick. Maybe.**

**I sure hope ya'll liked this one. Please tell me what you think? Reviews are like Muse candy that fuel her writing. *grins***

**Oh, and for my Primeval fic readers, new story coming up soon, but It'll be M-rated so it won't show up on the normal page. It's not all smutty (sorry. *grins*) but I'm not breaking the smutty parts out of this one.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait folks… this chapter was remarkably stubborn. Does it help that my chapters are huge? (Ok, so I also had to stop and write two M rated Primeval fics, too) **

**I really hope that you like the direction I went with this. Thank you so much for continuing to read this (and review!) it makes me want to keep writing.**

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Chapter 32**

Alice watched Hatter worriedly as he saddled their horse. His remarkably clever hands, always so strong and sure, fumbled with the fastenings on the girth and his eyes were ringed with circles so dark it almost looked as if they had been blackened. She was worried about him; he had a tendency to push himself entirely too hard. He'd had a scant few hours of sleep over the past week, and the sleep he had managed to get hadn't been very restful. The last thing they needed to be doing was riding out in the middle of the night, but Alice didn't see any alternative. With one more troubled glance at Hatter, she promised herself that once they got a safe distance away, they would stop and make camp, whether Hatter liked it or not.

They'd left the palace by way of the secret tunnels; few people even knew of their existence and they were the quickest and safest route from the palace. Jack had led them out personally, and then had offered the use of one of his guards as an escort to the Kingdom of the Knights. Hatter declined; he felt that the fewer people that knew they were leaving, the better, and Alice was inclined to agree with him on this point. They needed to get back home, and if they moved quickly enough, and stealthily enough, they may be able to get to the rabbit hole before anyone even realized they had left the palace. One thing in their favor was that Hatter already knew the way to the Kingdom of the Knights.

They were only taking one horse; it was quicker and easier. Alice certainly didn't mind sharing a saddle with Hatter, and in his current state it was probably safest. Charlie had provided them with one of his special devices used to hide their tracks, and Jack had provisioned them with double the amount of supplies they would need. The journey would only take a little over a full day's ride, but they would need to stop to try and get some rest tonight before making the final leg of the journey in the morning.

Jack had provided them with plenty of blankets and packets of food prepared by the palace kitchen. He and Hatter had come to a sort of wary truce thanks to the incident with Claramae. Alice reflected that it had been nice not to have to watch them circle and snap at each other; she'd almost been choking on the overabundance of testosterone, and seeing Clara roll her eyes at them she knew that the queen agreed. They had been _almost civil _to each other this evening. One thing Alice was sure of, Jack treated Hatter with a whole lot more respect now. Whether it was because he'd helped save Claramae, or because he was the first legitimate Guardian to appear in over a century, she wasn't sure.

They rode out under the cover of night, anxious to put as many miles as possible between themselves and the palace before they had to stop for the evening. Jack was going to announce to the court that they had left via the mirror, and hopefully it would be enough to put anyone off of their trail. They'd been cautioned to avoid entering the forest of Wabe until daylight; there were a number of nasty creatures that hunted by night in the forest. As near as Hatter had figured it, they could ride about four hours before they had to stop. It was a decent enough start, although he'd rather be farther away before they made camp.

Hatter's vision blurred as he tried to focus on the trail ahead. He shook his head and pressed the palm of his hand to his eyes, but it didn't help much. The surge of adrenaline that had coursed through his body from the attack had left his body, leaving him feeling weak and shaky in the aftermath. He'd tried hard to conceal it, and he thought he'd managed to so far, but Alice was watching him too closely for comfort. He needed to stop, and he needed to rest, but he couldn't. Not yet.

Alice shook her head as Hatter's head dropped down on his chest and his eyes closed. He was worn through, and the stubborn man wouldn't just come out and admit it. They'd only been traveling a little over two hours, as close as she could tell, but it was far enough. Hatter was exhausted, and if they got lost out here because he was too fatigued to lead the way, there was no one to come looking for them.

"Hatter," she said, shaking him gently.

"Hatter!" she repeated, sharper this time when he failed to respond.

Alarmed, she shook him more forcefully, "Hey… wake up."

This time she got a confused noise from him, but he was finally coming around. Hatter was normally awake in an instant when he needed to be... for him to not wake when Alice called his name frightened her. He was more drained than he had been letting on. It was no wonder… he'd been drugged, tied up, beaten, starved and attacked repeatedly, and all that on little to no sleep. When she got him home, they were going to stay in bed for days. Maybe a week.

"We're stopping," Alice insisted when he focused on her blearily.

"Hmm? What?" he replied.

"We are _stopping_," Alice repeated.

"No. We need to get a little farther, Alice," he countered, his eyes clearing.

Alice sighed, "Hatter… you were _sleeping_ in the saddle, and _I_ don't know where we're going. You _need sleep._"

"No! I was awake, I was just-" he denied.

Alice smirked, "Snoring," she interrupted, "I called you name like five times before you answered. We are making camp at the next clearing."

Hatter sighed deeply, but he knew when Alice took that tone with him that he wasn't likely to win. He thought about trying, just for the sport of it, but his wits still weren't entirely with him. She'd know exactly how bad off he was if he couldn't lob banter back at her, and he'd not want her to worry more than she already was. She was right, anyway. He'd get them lost if he nodded off again. He had a fairly good sense of direction and he was sure he could find the way, but he wanted no more unnecessary delays.

"Okay," he accepted.

Alice narrowed her eyes suspiciously; that was entirely too easy.

They found a suitable clearing fairly quickly, and in companionable silence they made quick work of setting up camp. Alice had quit trying make any conversation with Hatter when he started repeating himself. Although they were sleeping in the open night air, they had built a nice warm nest of blankets, and a cheerfully burning campfire to keep most of the wild things at bay.

"I'll go on and take the first watch," Hatter offered.

"No. I've got it tonight. You're dead on your feet," Alice argued.

He looked as if he was going to argue, but then he just nodded, "Yeah. I am."

Relieved, Alice turned back the blankets for him and gestured for him to crawl inside, "Good. Go to sleep," she frowned when he didn't move to comply.

His face set in earnest lines, he set about convincing Alice that she should let him take first watch, "I'm pretty knackered, but that's why I need to take first watch. I think once I'm asleep, I'll be out for good."

Alice's jaw stiffened, "No way. I'm keeping watch tonight. The entire watch. You need rest, and I can sleep in the saddle again."

Hatter let out a frustrated sigh, "If you think you are going to stay up all night whilst I sleep, you'd better just get that thought outta your head straightaway. I'll not let-"

"Let?" Alice interrupted, a dangerous edge to her voice.

Hatter groaned in frustration, "You know what I mean, Alice. I don't want to row with ya."

Alice lifted an eyebrow, "Then go to bed."

He hesitated, trying to think of another tactic that might be more effective. He couldn't _think_; he just wanted her to listen to him. He shook his head in mute refusal.

Alice's temper flared, "You don't trust me to stand watch?"

She was playing dirty and she knew it, but they were in this together, and he needed to rest damn it, and she was going to make sure he got it, even if she bullied him into it. She'd make it up to him later.

Hatter set his jaw stubbornly, "You're trying to turn things about on me. You _know_ I trust you," there was more he wanted to say to that, but he was just _so_ tired.

Alice's eyes glinted dangerously, "Right now you are in no shape for anything but sleep, and you know it. Your pride is going to get us killed," she argued.

Hatter flinched, "I… Me pride? It's _not_ pride, Alice," he defended, wounded by the insinuation.

Alice's heart clenched at the hurt clouding his face; she couldn't twist him this way, even for his own good. It felt wrong. She nodded, "I know. I didn't mean that… and I'm sorry, but please, Hatter?"

He sighed, "Fine. Just… fine. Wake me if you get too tired. Promise me?" he insisted.

She wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and hugged him tightly to her. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you. You look terrible. If I can't stay awake, I promise I'll wake you. Let me take care of _you_ this time, okay?"

He kissed her hair and squeezed her back tightly, "Yeah. Okay."

Hatter shed his boots and laid the sword alongside the blankets, and then lay down and tried to stop his mind from circling. Alice had given up her sleep so that he could rest so he felt like he needed to take advantage of it… if only his brain would cooperate. Jack had imparted him with the knowledge gleaned from Ryan Shipley right before they'd ridden out, and he'd been twisting and turning the little snippets of information to try to make them fit into some sort of sense.

He hated to think how Jack had managed to extract the information, but he was grateful for it nonetheless. It seemed that something should be twigging inside his brain at the description, but he couldn't seem to nail it down. Ryan's 'contact' had been willing to take Hatter's head on a plate as payment; that led him to believe that he knew him personally. That information alone didn't help much… lots of people wanted Hatter dead. Maybe he could suss it out later… after he slept.

"You'll wake me if… if ya get sleepy, yeah?" Hatter slurred again as he settled in between the blankets.

Alice kissed him goodnight and smiled, "Yes. Sleep."

"Mmmf," he replied, drifting off before he could answer.

Alice was having a difficult time keeping her eyes open, despite claiming that she was not even tired. She managed it, but barely. Hatter always tried so hard to take care of her, but this time he would be on the receiving end. He'd fallen asleep within minutes of lying down, and true to his prediction, he was out cold. She sat upon an overturned log and stared down at him, shaking her head… _and he'd said he wanted to stand first watch_. She laughed to herself; he could hardly stand, much less watch. The sad thing was that she knew he would have done it somehow if she'd let him.

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The next day dawned bright and clear as the sun broke the horizon. Alice readied their breakfast before she woke Hatter just to give him a few minutes longer to sleep. He'd not so much as twitched through the night, not even once. She wished she could just let him sleep. She brushed his dark unruly hair off of his forehead and then pressed a kiss to it, smiling as his nose wrinkled in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open as she spoke his name again, and he gave her a crooked sleepy smile as he levered himself up on his hand.

They ate a quick breakfast and broke camp, anxious to be on their way. Hatter seemed to be a lot more in control of his faculties this morning, although he still looked tired. _Tired _wasa marked improvement over what he'd been last night. She figured he'd gotten maybe six hours of sleep at the most… not nearly enough, but at least his hands were no longer shaking and his eyes were clear and focused. Alice, however, could not wait to close her eyes and get a little bit of a nap in.

As soon as she joined Hatter in the saddle she lay her head on his back and wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes, content to let his get them where they were going. She was so tired at this point she probably could have fallen asleep anywhere, but this was sort of… comfortable. She could smell his nice spicy scent and feel his hard body in her arms, and the repetitious clop of the horse's hooves lulled her into a dreamlike half-asleep half-awake trance. Before long she'd dropped off into a dreamless sleep.

Hatter smiled as he glanced over his shoulder at Alice. She certainly had no problems putting her arms around him these days. She was snoring softly against his back, and with any luck, the trip through the forest of Wabe would be uneventful and she could keep sleeping. Wonderland seemed to be aiding them, for whatever reason… or at least it wasn't hindering them. He'd sworn he was seeing a Cheshire's tail just ahead of him on the trail, but it was never more than a glimpse from the corner of his eye.

The presence of a Cheshire (if it _was_ indeed there) did little to reassure him. He'd seen evidence of bandersnatches in the area, and whether Wonderland was friendly or no, the creatures contained within the forest had minds of their own. His goal was to get them through as quickly as possible while stopping as little as possible. It would serve the dual purpose of getting through the dangerous forest and putting distance between them and the palace. So far, he'd seen no evidence that they'd been followed. If they were truly lucky, whoever was behind the attempt to kill them last night had believed that they had gone through the mirror.

Hatter's mind turned inwards, twisting and turning the little bits of information that Jack had fed him. Ryan's contact had been a large man with dark hair and eyes with an accent similar to Jack's refined speech. That hadn't been terribly helpful, but he'd also managed to extract a few fragments of conversations between Ryan and his contact. He'd said that Hatter had cheated him… stolen what should have been his. That was not a lot of help either, but it was _something_. One phrase in particular kept twisting round his head, and he knew it should mean something to him.

_'I want him to suffer. He lives the good life, leeching off the spoils of my labor like he's always done, and he gets treated like a hero for it.'_

Suddenly it twigged his memory. _No_. No, it _couldn't_ be. The man had dedicated his life to throwing off the oppressive yoke of the Queen. Why would he do anything to upset what he'd spent a lifetime trying to achieve? The Queen was imprisoned, her regime destroyed, and the Resistance's choice of a successor in place. It was all he'd wanted. Jack had said the former leader of the inner-city arm of the Resistance had retired from his position at the Great Library and had gone to live in the countryside. Jack had given him generous compensation, as he had all those loyal to the Resistance.

Revenge? All for revenge? _Dodo_ was the contact? He hated to think it, but he knew in his gut that he was right. He sighed. Well, on the positive side of things, he knew Dodo's habits and idiosyncrasies. He'd have a lot better luck tracking the man down than a stranger. As a bonus, Dodo was out to get him, so more likely than not he'd just have to wait for Dodo to make a move. Once Dodo realized that Ryan had failed to deliver Hatter to him as they agreed, he'd probably take matters into his own hands. Dodo was not the most patient of people to begin with. Hatter supposed he only dealt with Ryan to begin with to 'make him suffer first.' Dodo had always walked the edge of sanity; maybe he'd taken the final step over the line?

The wind kicked up suddenly, stinging Hatter's eyes and making him squint against the buffet of leaves and dirt. The hair on the back of his neck prickled suddenly; warily he searched the forest, but nothing seemed amiss… other than the Cheshire that was set directly in their path.

"Stop," the Cheshire commanded imperiously.

He pulled the horse to a halt, eyeing the cat guardedly, "Now then, what are you on about?"

"Go around through the south path beyond the river, this area belongs to the bandersnatches," the Cheshire warned.

"That will add another day. We can't," Hatter argued.

"Fool!" the Cheshire hissed, "You'll not get there at all if you are dead."

Hatter opened his mouth to argue, but the Cheshire had vanished. They were close to the Kingdom of the Knights; he expected to see it on the horizon any moment. He knew time could be quite tricky, and another day could mean another week away from home… or more. He urged the horse to a faster pace. He just needed to get them there as quickly as possible.

"Alice… Need you to wake up, love," Hatter called back to Alice.

He tried to sound calm, but he _was_ a little worried. He'd not liked the idea of crossing the Forest of Wabe again, and that combined with the Cheshire's warning…well, there was a reason why people refused to enter. People may scoff at the magic of Wonderland nowadays, but he noticed that no one was flocking to the Forest of Wabe to build summer homes there. As little as he liked the idea of crossing the forest, he'd liked the idea of crossing it with Alice in tow even less. Still, there was no one he'd rather have at his back than her.

The further into the dense forest they rode, the more uncomfortable Hatter felt. He knew when he was being watched… and he was being watched. Maybe Alice _had_ been speaking the truth; his pride was going to get them killed. He had to get them through the forest, and quickly.

He nudged her again, "Alice."

"Mmm. Are we there?" Alice asked, her voice still rough from sleep.

Hatter clasped her hand comfortingly where it rested on his waist, "Not yet. We're a few hours away, but I think we might run into a spot of trouble up here. I'm gonna need you to hold on tightly, okay?"

"Okay. Yeah, I can do that. What is it?" she asked, fully awake now.

"I don't know, love… but I've got a bad feeling," he admitted. He was beginning to wish he had listened to the Cheshire if the cold roiling sensation in his gut was any indication of what lay ahead, "Hold on, yeah?"

"I've got you," she replied.

Hatter dug his heels into the horse's flanks, urging her on. She sped to a canter; the trail was far too narrow for an all out gallop. Alice held on, burying her head against Hatter's back. The wind had continued to buffet them as dark ominous clouds rolled in to cover the sun. They weren't going to be able to keep this pace for long… he just hoped it would be long enough.

Hatter was just beginning to think they would get through the forest unscathed when their horse gave a terrified scream and planted all four feet, throwing Alice and Hatter from her back. Hatter landed hard, but nearby. He stared up at the horse's metal shod hooves as she reared above him, and then rolled quickly out of their path. Hatter jumped up to make a grab for the reins, but the horse had bolted. All their supplies, all their gear had been on that horse. He stared after it, frustrated and angry, and more than a little bit sore.

"I think we've lost her," he commented, turning to look for Alice.

All the air slammed out of his chest as he realized she was lying motionless on the ground a few yards away, "Alice?"

He fell to his knees beside her, his heart hammering in his chest so hard he could hear it. It looked as if she'd hit her head when she'd fallen. He brushed her hair back off her face and checked her pulse, relaxing infinitesimally as he found one. He called her name softly, cradling her head in his hands, but she still didn't respond. A large purple bruise was forming near her temple where it had struck a nearby rock.

He tried again, "Love, please wake up. It's not safe here and we need to go. Alice…"

A deep growl froze him in place. He cursed under his breath as he looked up to see that whilst he'd been preoccupied with Alice, three bandersnatches had caught their scent, and they were now moving to surround them. He stood over Alice's prone body and drew his sword; his little pistol had disappeared… probably jostled from his pocket when he was thrown from the horse.

"Alice, can you hear me? We really need to go."

The lead bandersnatch crouched low to the ground and stalked forward with a feline grace that seemed incongruent with the large muscled body. This one was no prettier than the last one he'd encountered, and no less malicious.

"Alice… _now _would be a good time to wake up," he called out, his voice edged with panic.

She moaned and sat up, wincing, "What's going on?"

"Bad, very bad things. Ya need to get up…slowly, and when I tell ya to run… run."

She stood slowly, eyeing the creatures steadily creeping towards them, "What is _that!_"

She took in the blood red eyes, mottled green-grey fur, mouthful of teeth and the wickedly sharp black claw tipped tail with a shudder. It was something from a nightmare. It shouldn't exist.

"Bandersnatch," he whispered.

"Can we outrun them?" she asked, her voice hushed.

"No," he met her eyes briefly. "We'll try though, won't we? Might get lucky and lose one of 'em."

Alice snorted, "You think?" She was trying to sound confident and calm, but fear was rising in her throat and seeing these nightmare creatures closing in on them made her want to close her eyes, curl up in a ball, and scream.

"Alice… there's a bit of an opening there… do you see it?" Hatter asked.

She did. She thought they could get through, "Yes," she answered.

"Okay… you're able to run?" he verified.

"Oh, hell yes."

He looked to her once more, his expression grave, "Okay. Go!"

Alice tore of through the underbrush, but stopped cold when she saw Hatter hadn't moved.

"Hatter! Run!" Alice screamed.

"Go, Alice. I'll be right behind ya," he insisted.

"No! I'm not going anywhere until-" Alice screamed as one of the bandersnatches pounced.

He sidestepped it narrowly and then turned and ran, "Go!"

She waited until he was next to her and then tore off through the trees alongside him, beating a zigzag path through the forest. She ran until her chest burned and her legs felt like jelly, but still the creatures followed. Hatter turned to look over his shoulder and lost his footing. It was the moment of weakness the creatures had been waiting for. Alice helped him regain his footing, but it was too late. The bandersnatches had been steadily closing on them as they ran, and a moment was all they needed to surround them.

Alice reached out blindly to grasp Hatter's free hand, "Any ideas?"

He shook his head, "'Fraid not," he turned his head to look at her, "Let's get our back to this big oak behind us. Pull the dagger from me boot and let me take the lead, okay?"

Alice retrieved the dagger and held it tightly, "Okay."

"Back up slowly till our backs are to the tree. Stay low," he cautioned.

"Yeah. Ready."

Slowly they crept backwards towards the giant oak tree nearest them. Its trunk was easily two meters across, and it would at least serve to protect their backs. The bandersnatches either didn't notice or didn't care that they were moving. They seemed to be having a alpha male dispute over which one of them was going to take the first bite out of the tasty people. Hatter had no illusions about escaping, despite their seeming inattention. The creatures knew exactly where they were, and bandersnatches were renowned for their speed and agility. There was no way out, and their odds weren't good. In essence… Hatter and Alice were fucked.

"Alice… I love you," he said quietly, his gravely serious dark gaze locking on hers briefly before it was drawn back to the bandersnatches closing in.

"Stop it. We'll get through this, okay?" Alice insisted.

Hatter grinned at her, his smile too bright, "Yeah."

She swallowed hard as the largest bandersnatch crouched in preparation to strike; evidently they had figured out who was in charge after all, "I love you, too."

Hatter raised the sword and Alice crouched low with the dagger. They stepped back, the hard bark of the oak a reassuring presence. The bandersnatch opened it's maw wide, exposing rows of serrated teeth and leapt. Hatter cried out and poured all the fear and fury he possessed into his right arm, hoping it would propel the sword harder and faster. He swung hard, reeling backwards into the tree and Alice as the jaws snapped at his face.

The oak swallowed them, and then they were falling… tumbling end over end through a tunnel of light and sound. Alice stopped screaming as she felt Hatter grip her arm and then tug her in close to his body, his arms encircling her.

"Breathe!" he yelled in her ear, "Rabbit hole."

**TBC**

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A/N: Surprise. Twisty me. *grins* Hmm… was worth the wait? I really hope it was. Please tell me what you thought and feed the muse? Helps me write! I wish I remember who said it, but I heard it referred to as a tip. If you enjoyed reading, please tip your waitress, er, author? **


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: So sorry for the wait, (again, I know! *ducks*) but I was away for the holidays and I'm trying to study for a big test coming up next week. It will be a major relief once it's over, and will free up some precious time for ficcing! I did try to make this one worth it, and it's HUGE. **

**I can't thank ya'll enough for reading and taking a second to review! 3 for you all to give me this sort of encouragement. Thanks so much! **

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**Chapter 33**

Hatter made a soft huff of exhalation as Alice landed on him, "Are you okay?" he asked.

She gave a short relieved laugh, "Yeah. Think so. You?"

"Fine," he answered, his voice strained, "Better if you move your elbow off me bits, please."

Alice shifted off of him, "Sorry," she replied absently, more concerned with where they had landed than on what. She narrowed her eyes, frowning at their undetermined yet somehow familiar surroundings, "Are we in Central Park?"

Hatter glanced around at the forest surrounding them; his brow creased in contemplation, "We're not in the Forest of Wabe," he offered.

He sat up carefully to get a better look around, groaning as his body protested; they were in a grassy clearing encircled by trees. No distinguishing signs, nothing unusual. They couldn't even see the horizon for all the trees. He held up a hand, asking for silence as Alice opened her mouth to speak, tilted his head and listened carefully… did he hear cars? Yes.

Hatter's warm chocolate brown eyes lit up as a broad grin stretched his face, "I think we're home, love."

Alice laughed out loud as she scrambled up, pulling Hatter along with her, "We made it?"

"Yeah. Think so, anyway. Now just to see _when_ we are," he replied, sobering with the thought.

Alice nodded, "Oh. Right," she sighed. "Okay, well…" she gestured towards the sound of traffic.

Hatter wrapped his arm around her as they walked out of the park… Central Park as it turned out. It all looked the same as it did before they left; there were no futuristic cars or outdated clothing. Alice started to relax just a little bit. Maybe not too much time had passed them by. Just outside the park she hailed a cab. It was nighttime, and nighttime in Central Park was generally not a good place to be. Alice was very glad she'd had the foresight to bring some money with her, just in case.

Alice rested her head on Hatter's shoulder and closed her eyes as they rode home in the back seat of the taxi; she just wanted to sleep. She couldn't believe that after all this, they were only a few minutes from home. Home… and she'd gotten her Hatter back. She'd done it. Hatter hugged Alice to him as he watched the lights of the city pass him by in a surreal blur. It still hadn't quite sunk in that they were home.

"Hey mate, could ya tell me what day it is?" Hatter asked the cabbie.

"Saturday."

Hatter smiled wryly, "Could you be a bit more specific? What date?"

"Twenty-fifth," the cabbie clarified.

Hatter grinned at the news. It looked as if they were only gone one day. It seemed as if the spirit of Wonderland had shone on them once again. He frowned as the car pulled up in front of the tea shop; the windows were dark. Had they closed up shop whilst they'd been away? He supposed one day wouldn't do any harm.

"Um, mate… the time?" Hatter asked.

"Eleven-thirty," the cabbie replied with an amused shake of his head.

"Cheers," Hatter acknowledged. The shop would be closed at that hour anyway.

Hatter peered into the window, relieved to see that nothing looked out of place. There were even new weekly specials already posted on the board behind the register. Good. He knew he could trust James and Erica to look after the shop for him. He felt inside his jacket pocket for keys and came up empty. Of course. Was not as if he'd packed.

"Have your keys, love?" Hatter asked hopefully.

Alice grinned, "As a matter of fact I do."

It felt strange to walk into their flat after all that had happened. They both let out simultaneous sighs of relief as they crossed the threshold, and then shared an amused grin.

"Tea?" Hatter asked after a moment, at a loss for anything else.

Alice nodded, "Yeah. Tea would be good."

Hatter put the kettle on the hob whilst he decided on which tea would be best. He settled on _Softly Warm, _deeming it appropriate. He went through the process of making the tea as if on auto-pilot, his brain refusing to follow linear patterns of thought. Too much had happened, and he was having some difficulty transitioning from _in fear of death _to _safe at home. _Once the tea was ready, he poured a cup for himself and for Alice and headed out to the main room of their little flat.

"I've got the-" he broke off as he saw Alice had fallen asleep on the sofa.

He smiled to himself and took a seat in the chair next to the sofa. He sipped his tea as he watched her sleeping, her dark hair was still pulled back in a severe ponytail, but it just let him see the classically strong lines of her face more clearly. He couldn't believe she'd come after him. It was insane. She hadn't had the first clue how to find him, and as he'd told her many times in the past, Wonderland was _dangerous._

Even with the Queen deposed, there had been plenty of people that wanted her dead, and many others that wanted her for their own reasons. Some worse than others. He'd even heard one person remark that he thought emotions drained from _the_ Alice would be twice as strong as regular Oysters. It had taken every bit of his considerable self-control to keep from putting the idiot through a wall. Completely mad, his Alice was. Mad, and loyal, and beautiful… strong and brilliant. He'd never wrap his head around the fact that she'd chosen _him. _

He rubbed his eyes to try to ease the gritty burn; perhaps Alice had the right idea. There was certainly nothing he'd rather do than sleep with her in his arms in their own bed. He drained the dregs of his tea and walked into the bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. He stripped off his clothing and pulled on a clean pair of aubergine silk boxers. He stretched taut muscles, wincing as several of his joints popped. Yes, sleeping would be brilliant. After a moment's thought he took out one of the over sized t-shirts Alice preferred to wear to sleep in and tossed it on the bed.

He padded back into the main room and knelt at the foot of the sofa. Alice didn't so much as twitch as he untied her Converse and then removed them along with her socks. He lifted her gently in his arms to try to keep from waking her. She murmured in her sleep but didn't wake as he carried her into the bedroom. Hatter lay her on the bed and unfastened her jeans, pulling them down her hips and off.

"What're you doing?" she mumbled.

"Getting ya ready for bed, love. Lets get that jumper off ya, okay?"

Alice blinked up at him sleepily and nodded. She allowed him to help her into her sleep shirt and then snuggled up against him in the bed and fell immediately back into sleep. Hatter wrapped his arms around her, inhaled her into his lungs and smiled, content. He followed her into sleep quickly after.

* * *

Hatter's eyes flew open as he heard the front door of the flat opening. He leaped out of bed, "Stay here," he commanded as he grabbed his sword and stormed into the main room, sword held aloft.

Erica shrieked as she was unexpectedly confronted with a wild eyed, sword-wielding, half naked Hatter.

"Erica? What're ya doing here?" Hatter asked.

Dennis' large frame filled the doorway seconds later, automatically assuming a fighting stance when he heard his wife's scream. Hatter was taken aback at the fierceness in him; he looked every inch the warrior that he truly was underneath his cheerful façade. Alice tore into the room a second later, ready for a fight.

Erica pressed to her chest over her thudding heart, "Hatter? Alice? You're back!"

Hatter glanced back over his shoulder at Alice, exasperated but not really surprised that she'd ignored him when he told her to stay put.

Erica grinned, "Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"A sword?" Dennis remarked as he relaxed his fighting stance.

Hatter lowered the sword, "Sorry. Had a rough couple of days, haven't I? Feeling a bit jumpy."

Alice exhaled, relieved that the intruders were friendly this time, "I'm _so_ glad to see you both again. Come in."

Hatter glanced down, "Just gonna…" he gestured to his decided lack of clothing.

Alice grinned, "Be right back."

Alice and Hatter beat a hasty retreat into the bedroom; Hatter pulled on a pair of black track pants and t-shirt. He had no plans to leave their home today if he could help it. Alice seemed to be of a similar mind; she chose a similar outfit but in purple. Hatter turned to speak to her, but abruptly forgot what he was planning on saying as he caught sight of a very naked Alice. She'd asked him a question, but he'd be damned if he could recall what it had been.

"Hatter?"

He watched, entranced as she stepped into her knickers, "Hmmm?"

"I asked if I should go make us some tea."

He nodded, having heard the word tea, "Lovely. Yeah."

Alice rolled her eyes, finished dressing and slapped Hatter on the ass as she exited, "Close your mouth."

Alice strode into the kitchen, "You two sit down. I'm just making us some tea," she called out. "Hatter, come help."

He joined her a moment later, asking her by way of expression why he was in the kitchen helping her when they had guests to tend to.

"What are we going to tell people? I made a police report and everything," Alice whispered.

Erica knew about Hatter, but Dennis didn't… and neither did the police. They'd both have questions.

Hatter chewed his lip, "The truth… mostly," he replied after a moment's thought.

He gave her a crooked dimpled grin as she raised her eyebrows at him in disbelief, "Leave it to me, love. Okay?"

Alice nodded finally, although her expression remained doubtful. Hatter was certainly good at these sorts of things, but she wasn't sure he could come up with anything to explain _this._

Erica and Dennis traded a confused look as Alice and Hatter re-entered the main room, tea in hand.

"Okay. Where you been?" Dennis demanded, "You disappear for a month, Hatter is injured... cuts all over him, and both act like is nothing,"

Erica's eyes widened, panicked. She didn't know what to do; she had told Dennis that Alice had been following up on a police lead and that was the last time she'd seen her. Her eyes darted from Alice to Hatter helplessly. She gave a minute shrug as if to say she hadn't told him anything, and she didn't know what to say now.

Alice pressed her hand to her stomach to ease the ache that settled there. A _month_. They had been gone an entire month? Oh… no. _No, no, no. _ Hatter was speaking, but it was hard to hear over the roaring in her ears. _Oh, god_. What about her mother? What about _college_? The tea shop? Her knees went weak as she realized Hatter's court date could have come and gone. No.

She turned a horrified gaze up to him, "Your court date?"

"Alice? It's alright, love. It is… we'll get all this sorted, alright?" Hatter soothed.

Dennis was looking more suspicious by the moment. Hatter thought furiously for some way to explain things. His original idea had gone the way of the Cheshire when they discovered they had been gone for a month's time. Parts of it might still work. He firmly believed that the closer a lie was to the actual truth, the better. He hated to lie to his friend, but Dennis was not the same as Erica when it came to things such as this. He'd not believe it, and it was safer if few people knew about his origins, anyway… at least until this mess with Dodo was sorted.

Hatter took a sip of his tea to give him a moment, and squeezed Alice's hand reassuringly, "Dennis… we… weren't exactly in a position to know how long it has been. We were kept in a cellar, I believe it was. Not sure… it was dark the whole time and Ryan kept us drugged with Ketamine. We thought much less time had passed."

Dennis looked stunned, but seemed to be buying it so far, so Hatter continued, "Alice said she went looking for me on a tip from the police. She'd hoped to find some evidence the police might have missed."

Dennis nodded; that sounded like something Alice would do.

Hatter continued, "And she doesn't remember anything beyond that. We figure he got her with his tranq gun. Next thing she knew, she woke up in the cellar with me. Ryan was mad, completely insane. He said he heard voices. Lucky for us, the voices eventually told him to let us go. He tied us up and put us in the boot of his car. I thought that was it for us, but he shot us up with Ketamine again, and then dumped us off in Central Park," he shrugged, "When we woke up, we'd been untied and left alone so we came home. It was late and to be honest, all we wanted was to do was to clean up and to go to bed."

Alice watched him spin the tale in shocked silence. She could have _never_ come up with something like that. Hatter was scarily brilliant sometimes. She realized that Dennis and Erica both were staring at her. She smiled weakly, "My memory is really blurry. He kept me drugged or blindfolded for the most part."

"That's terrible. He hurt Alice, too?" Dennis asked.

Hatter shook his head, "No. I'm the one that fired him. He seemed fixated on harming me."

Dennis made a noise of acceptance, "Police will catch him. He should be put out of his misery."

Alice and Hatter both traded a knowing glance and nodded in agreement. That part was most definitely true… more so than Dennis would ever realize.

Erica turned to Dennis, "Can you run down to the tea shop and get their mail for them real quick? I think I say something from the state. Might be about Hatter's court date." She wanted a few moments to talk to her friends without tiptoeing around the truth. Hatter had told a believable, albeit strange, story, but she wanted the real one.

"Sí, mi corazón. Be right back," he promised.

"What happened?" Erica asked as soon as Dennis' footsteps faded.

Alice shook her head to clear it, "There's way too much. Short version is I found him. We tracked down Ryan and served him up to the King of Wonderland. He's definitely out of the picture, but he was working with someone on our side that's still after Hatter. We'll tell you the details, I swear, but just not now, okay?"

Erica nodded, "Oh! And about Hatter's records? I figured out the problem. Fixed. Mostly."

Alice blinked rapidly, confused, "You _what?_"

"How?" Hatter echoed.

Erica gave a self-satisfied smile, "Your middle name. It was listed on your birth certificate, but that wasn't how it was loaded in the system. What it _looks _like is that the clerk entered your data wrong when you were born. The birth certificate you have is just the one they hand out to parents… that's why they called it fake. They're identical except for the seal, and you didn't have a seal. I think the idiot that created your records wasn't paying much attention to what he was doing. The date was different, too. Probably why they didn't connect the two to being the same person. Alice said you left before your records were done being forged, but what I think happened was that whoever did it screwed up, and they were having to fix it, ya know?"

She smiled again as she took in her friends' flabbergasted expressions and took another breath, "Anyways, you should be able to request a real birth certificate now. Tell them to do one more check because you have to go to court and may get deported. Your lawyer can insist that a private agency do it, like a PI maybe, if they refuse… but they'll find you now. I sort of linked the two files so that when you tell them to look under David _Lee_ Hatter, they'll find it. The dates match now. Fixed. Dennis would kill me so you'd better not say anything or I'll pour tea in your favorite hat," she warned.

"You can _do_ all that?" Hatter asked, stunned and impressed.

Erica snorted, "Pour tea in your hat? Sure."

"Funny," he deadpanned.

Erica giggled, "I've been able to hack a system like that since I was ten."

"Erica, you could go to prison for that! What were you thinking?" Alice chastised.

Erica lifted her chin, "I was thinking that I was going to help my friends."

Hatter threw a quelling glance at Alice, "Thank you, Erica. I can't tell ya how grateful I am for this."

"_We_ are," Alice amended.

Dennis' arrival broke off any further conversation on that track. He handed over the stack of mail to Alice.

"James took care of the bills. Paid it from the tea shop account," Erica offered.

Hatter nodded absentmindedly as Alice sorted through the stack of papers looking for the one they needed, "Good. Explains why we still have electricity."

"We've got to go, but Alice, call me okay?" Erica insisted.

"Get some rest, you both. Call the police soon, yes?" Dennis added.

They made their goodbyes and promised that they truly didn't need anything else, and then went back to sorting the mail. If the court date had passed, it may be too late to prevent his deportation. The fact that he could return once it was sorted was small comfort. He'd already traced this line of thought down several alternative paths, and none were good. They'd need to call his lawyer straightaway. He hoped Carol was still on good terms with him. _Oh, shit. Carol. _She was going to be _furious_ with him for getting Alice into this one.

Alice found the envelope they were hunting for and tore it open. She scanned it quickly, and then handed it over for Hatter to read. Monday. His court date was Monday. They _really_ needed to call Jonas. He was a good lawyer, and hopefully _imprisoned by a madman_ was a satisfactory justification for re-scheduling. Perhaps he already had?

Hatter cocked an eyebrow as she voiced her thoughts, "First ya have to speak with your mum. She'd be right brassed off if ya rang the lawyer before you did her, yeah?"

Alice paled, "At least I left her a note," she defended in a small voice.

Hatter's eyebrows shot up almost into his hairline, "A _note?"_ he repeated, his voice rising an octave.

* * *

The phone call with Alice's mother had been rough, but Hatter was looking forward to her impending visit with unholy fear. Carol Hamilton was one hell of a scary lady, and the fact that she was his future mother-in-law made it even worse. It seemed as if any time he finally made progress with her, any time she _actually_ started to like him, something happened to muck it up. He couldn't blame her for it, not really. Alice had risked her life to come after him, and her life had been in perpetual danger ever since they'd met. To be fair though… Jack had gotten her into it initially.

Hatter paced nervously as he waited for Carol to arrive; he just wanted to get all this over with so he could climb in bed with Alice and stay there. Maybe forever. Carol would be arriving at any moment now; Alice hadn't even bothered to try to dissuade her. No point in that. Her daughter had disappeared for a month's time and had left her a _note_ of all things. A _note! Of all the…_

"Sit," Alice ordered.

Hatter sat, but within seconds he was flipping and twirling his hat. Alice rolled her eyes but let him be. He'd been angry with her when she'd disclosed that she had left her mother a note instead of telling her that she was going after him. He hadn't said anything specific, but the look he'd given her had spoke volumes. If it weren't for the fact that her mother was on the way over, she was pretty sure she'd be getting an earful. As it was, he was so nervous about dealing with her mother that he'd let it go. For now.

Hatter flipped his fedora back on his head as he heard footfalls on the stairs. He headed into the kitchen to make some tea. He hoped a little bit of one of his special calming blends may help to alleviate some tension. Maybe. Hopefully. Besides, he _did not_ fancy facing Carol Hamilton in full monty rage mode. Not at _all. _

Alice reached out and snagged his wrist as he passed by, "Stay. Please?"

He met her gaze and held it, but this time she saw only sympathy in his dark chocolate eyes. He smiled gently and nodded. He'd have to face Carol eventually. Might as well face her with Alice and get it over with. Alice took a deep fortifying breath and answered the door, bracing herself for a motherly tirade. Her mom was typically very understanding, but one of her blind points was Alice's safety. That was one of the reasons she'd been so supportive of her martial arts when it was clearly of no interest to her mom personally. Anything to make Alice safer was a good thing, and anything that threatened that safety had best watch out. Alice winced inwardly, opened the door and stepped back to allow her entry.

Carol swept Alice into a close embrace while Hatter looked on awkwardly, feeling as if he shouldn't be intruding on this private moment between them.

"I'm fine, Mom," Alice reassured her, returning the embrace. She'd been afraid she wouldn't make it back, and the reality of that fact had just hit her hard. She blinked back tears and hugged her even harder.

Hatter shifted from one foot to the other as he waited for them to finish. Alice had asked him to stay, so he would stay, even if he desperately wanted to go. Carol looked up to see Hatter standing by forlornly and included him in the embrace as well, hugging him tightly.

"You two are going to be the death of me. Are you alright?" Carol asked as she pulled back to look at them. "Hatter, you're skin and bones! Have you even had a good meal?"

Hatter gaped at her, confusion and disbelief warring for dominance, "I… We… No." From what he'd overheard from the phone call, he'd anticipated a very different response than this from Carol.

Carol turned to Alice, her expression turning thunderous, "And if you leave like that again young lady…"

_That was more like it,_ Hatter thought.

Alice raised her hands, "I'm sorry. I know I should have told you what I was doing; I just didn't want you to try and stop me. I didn't think we'd be gone so long. It hasn't been that long for us."

Carol turned a bewildered face towards Hatter. He nodded, "Time can get a bit muddled when crossing over. I was gone five days on Wonderland side, three for Alice. Unless you cross using the Looking Glass, well… you never know what time will do. I've heard tales of people losing _years._"

Carol just shook her head, and hugged them both close again, "I thought I'd lost you," she said to Alice. She gave Hatter a watery smile, "Both of you."

Hatter cleared his throat and looked to the floor, overcome with emotion, "I'll get the tea," he said quietly.

Carol and Jonas were indeed still on good terms, much to Hatter's relief. She called him and explained that Hatter had been released, and that the court date was on Monday. Unfortunately Jonas had not known about the impending court date, and it was too late to reschedule. They would have to attend the hearing, and Jonas would plead unexpected circumstances as a reason to delay the proceedings. He said the judge they had been assigned was a fortunate draw; she was known for being fair-minded and reasonable.

They promised Carol that they would eat, and rest, and gave her the short version of what had happened on the journey before she left them to it. Alice and Hatter wisely kept all the frightening details to a minimum. There were some things that Carol was better off not knowing, especially the fact that someone was still very determined to kill Hatter, and that they had agreed to retrieve the Stone of Wonderland from said person. She'd have a litter of kittens if she knew.

Alice called Rob, one of her friends on the police force, and explained what had happened (the sanitized Wonderland-free version), and promised that she and Hatter would stop by the station tomorrow. So they'd go to the police station tomorrow, and then to court. Hatter would also have to make a call to Immigration, and to the records department of the hospital where he'd supposedly been born. Tomorrow was a busy day, but it could all wait. All of it. Nothing was open on Sunday anyway. Today belonged to Alice and Hatter, and they would spend it as they liked. Together. With pizza and tea and tangled sheets and probably a long bath and perhaps more of all of the above.

TBC

**

* * *

A/N: Wee bit of twisty, wasn't it? Heh. Poor things. Almost got lucky with the time, but alas no. Teeheehee. Well folks, they certainly have a lot to contend with on the near horizon, but a couple little ends have been tied, although I wouldn't go so far as to say neatly. They will be though, *grins* have patience.**

**I certainly hoped you liked this, and please do tell me if you did? It helps motivate me to write, and I especially need the motivation when I've got lots of other things going on (like now.) **


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Well the nightmare of my studying for my promotion test is done and over with finally, so I should be able to get back to my quicker updating schedule from here on out, provided the muse cooperates. Thanks so much for continuing to read and review : ) It means the world to me. Seriously… you should see me squee every time I get a new one. **

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* * *

Chapter 34**

Hatter wrapped his arms around Alice's waist, pulling her back snuggly against his front and gave a suggestive roll of his hips, "Now that all the visitors have gone..." he murmured as he nuzzled her ear.

Alice smiled and closed her eyes, taking a moment to enjoy having his strong arms around her, "Hatter, how can you think about that when-" she broke off with a gasp when his hands moved expertly over the line of her body as his lips brushed the delicate spot behind her ear that always made her shiver.

"Today is ours, love. I refuse to let anything spoil it. We'll not be able to change a thing today," he replied in between kisses along the line of her neck and shoulder. Alice shuddered at his hot wet mouth on her skin, his clever hands on her body, stealing away her ability to reason, "Yeah... you're right," she replied as she turned in his arms.

She looked up into his dark chocolate brown eyes and smiled, her eyes flicked down to his perfect Cupid's bow lips. He was right. She could think of so many ways to spend today rather than to worry about tomorrow. She drew him down to meet her for a searing kiss and pressed her body to his. He was _so_ right.

* * *

"Oh, god… now I'm starving," Alice said.

"And ya say that I'm the one always goin' on about food?" Hatter laughed. "Breakfast?" he offered.

Alice's stomach rumbled audibly at the thought of one of Hatter's full-on heart-attack inducing breakfasts, "Oh hell yes," she replied quickly.

Hatter gave her a broad crooked grin, his dimple on full display and his dark eyes dancing, and kissed the tip of her nose, "I'll see what we've got that hasn't spoiled."

Alice groaned, "That's right. A month. I don't know if we'll have anything in there to eat."

Hatter smirked, "Oh, please. Leave that to me, yeah? I can always find a bit of nosh."

Hatter put the kettle on the hob as he scavenged for something to feed them. He'd had lots of years practice scraping together meals from next to naught, but the contents in the pantry left much to be desired. No dairy save for the butter in the freezer, no bread, and they'd been in need of a trip to the grocer before they'd been taken. He saw the box of oats on the shelf and inventoried the rest of the ingredients he'd need. Looked like he'd be baking.

Alice walked into the kitchen to see a disgruntled Hatter standing in front of the open pantry door. He turned to face her sheepishly and shrugged.

"Fancy flapjacks? We have hardly a thing left but some staples."

The chewy oat bar cookies thinly disguised as something that could pass for a nutritious breakfast were among her favorite things to eat. Healthy, no. Delicious, very much yes. Still, it was more of a snack than a meal, but it would do for now. She could tell that Hatter didn't want to leave the apartment if they could help it, and frankly, neither did she.

She smiled, "Sounds good to me."

She sat on the counter and watched him cooking them breakfast as she had so many times before while she sipped her tea. Aside from the assorted cuts and bruises on his lean body this could almost be like any of the Sunday mornings they'd spent together. He always cooked them breakfast while she always tried not to drool into her tea as she watched. He really was a beautiful man, she mused. He was throwing covert glances her way, and she smiled. It was nice to know the feeling was mutual.

He stirred the butter, sugar and syrup mixture as it bubbled on the cook top, watching it carefully. He'd burnt it once before when she had... distracted him. It was difficult _not_ to when he looked so delicious standing there clad only in his silk boxers, his thick unruly mop of hair mussed. She bit her lip; _hmm, they _should_ stay home. _As a matter of fact, she didn't see the purpose in waiting until breakfast for her… sweets. The cookies had to cool, after all… and she knew exactly how to fill the time as they waited. He tossed her a smug grin as he caught her checking him out and she rolled her eyes. She'd caught him ogling her legs just a moment before… it was not as if he had any room to be smug. Tomorrow would bring its own set of problems, but Alice was determined to take a page from Hatter's book and worry about tomorrow when tomorrow came.

* * *

They had planned to stay in all day, but it looked as if they were going to have to get out at some point to buy some food. If they hadn't been so exhausted last night, the curdled milk in the refrigerator and the green food would have been a dead giveaway to just how long they'd been gone, but they hadn't ventured into the kitchen except to make tea. They managed to hide away for most of the day, but hunger driven by lots of physical activity drove them out of the flat eventually.

Hatter tucked his arm around Alice protectively as they headed down the block to buy enough groceries to get them by for a couple of days, at least. Alice frowned as she took in the change that had come over Hatter when they left the safety of their home; it was as if he was back to those first days in her world again. He was always watchful and wary, but _this… _this was something different. Every person that brushed by them was a potential threat, his dark eyes constantly moving, assessing. It saddened her, but she knew him well enough by now to realize he felt he'd let his guard down too much to begin with, and this should have been an expected repercussion. She was well aware that they were still in danger, but she didn't want him to act like _this_.

"Hey… are you alright?" Alice asked as she pulled him to a stop.

He nodded, "Yeah. Fine."

"No. You aren't acting fine," she countered. He'd hadn't lost his grim countenance, and even now he wasn't looking at her.

He sighed, it was impossible to lie to Alice. "Just…" he waved his hands helplessly, at a loss to explain it in simple terms, "I can't stop thinking. Can we perhaps discuss this at home?"

Alice raised an eyebrow, "Sure. But this means we _will _discuss it."

He nodded his acceptance ruefully. He figured as much.

He settled a little bit in the grocery store; Alice even managed to coax a weak smile from him, although her ordinarily loquacious Hatter was still not holding up his end of the conversation. She hoped that once he had a few days to acclimate back into ordinary life he would be back to his normal self again, but she was afraid that until they'd found Dodo, it wouldn't happen.

* * *

Hatter couldn't wait to get back to their flat. The short trip to buy some essentials had left his nerves drawn taut to the point were he was close to snapping. He _knew_ he was overreacting. He knew it, but was powerless to stop himself. He was going to have to pull himself together if he was to deal with the police and then the judge tomorrow. There was no way he could do it now, if he had to. _This_ little excursion had been pushing his limits, and it made no sense. He'd been through so much worse in his life and it hadn't this strong an affect on him. He nodded to himself as he worked out the difference. Alice. She'd been taken because of him. _Again. _It had been too close this time. Much too close. Close like the people on the sidewalk… _too many people._ He felt every set of eyes that rested upon Alice, every time they were sized up as potential marks, every stare that lingered too long. _Too many people._

He could only blame the fact that his mind was in a bad place when it happened. It should have never happened. The guy had brushed by her arm. That's all. The sidewalk was crowded and he'd brushed Alice's sleeve as he passed. Before Hatter had even had a chance to process what was happening, he'd had the guy by the throat. He'd had his fist pulled back, and it was burning… he'd wanted to strike. He'd wanted to cave his skull in. He'd have killed him, but for Alice. She had interceded, prying the man out of Hatter's grasp, apologizing and getting them into a taxi so quickly that the man had no hope of ever finding them again.

He was losing it. He had to get this sorted or… was he going mad? He'd not lost control like that, not with a person anyway, since he was a kid. He couldn't afford to, not with what he could do. He squeezed his eyes shut and thought about how close he'd just come to throwing away all that he'd fought to keep. His citizenship, his freedom, his business… his Alice. She'd been right. He needed to talk to her about it. _What if he hurt Alice?_ No. No, he'd never. _But what if? _The insidious little thought wormed its way back into his brain, setting its hooks in.

"It's okay. We'll be home in a minute," Alice said, her voice pitched low.

He swallowed hard and nodded, not trusting his voice.

Hatter closed the door to their flat and locked it. He stood frozen, staring at the doorway. They were home. They were home, and safe, and he needed to get control of himself. His brain was screaming a million accusations at him, the din becoming a maddening cacophony he couldn't ignore. What if he hurt her?

"Tea?" Alice offered.

Hatter's face crumpled; he couldn't ignore it, "Yeah. Tea would be lovely."

It scared her to see him like this. Hatter was always in control. Decisive, authoritative… charming and smooth. Right now he couldn't be farther from all of those things, and Alice wasn't sure what to do. Her heart gave another painful lurch as she saw his eyes drop to the floor, and she knew one thing she could do for him. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly to her. He sighed and melted into her, letting all that was Alice soak into his bones. She didn't know what had gotten into him, and worse, she didn't know how to fix it.

He released her and took a deep breath, "I'll take that tea, if ya don't mind."

She nodded and headed to the kitchen as he sat himself on the sofa.

A few moments later, she emerged, tea in hand. He hadn't moved an inch. Alice handed Hatter his tea and sank down next to him on the sofa, "I made some _Softly Warm._ That okay?"

He nodded and tried to find a smile for her to reassure her, but the expression he managed only seemed to upset her more. She looked so worried, and he hated to be the cause of it. He took a swallow of tea and let the warmth course through him. He glanced at Alice again and then down into his cup. This would not be easy to say, but he had to do it. He knew it was the only way.

"Perhaps you should stay with your mother a few days," Hatter said quietly.

"What?" she asked incredulously, "Why?"

"I don't think it is a good idea for you to be around me right now," he admitted, adding in the grain of truth to the lie. He stood and paced the floor, unable to sit still.

"Why?" she repeated. She was confused. He needed her now more than ever. It wasn't like him to pull away from her, and she could see that was exactly what he was trying to do.

His heart was breaking in a million pieces, but he could see there was but one way to make sure she was safe. He loved her with all that was in him. He could do this, if it meant she'd be safe. Once he'd tracked down Dodo and gotten control of himself again… once he was certain he'd not hurt Alice, he could try to win her back.

He schooled his expression into unreadable lines to hide the tumult inside, "I need some space."

She blinked rapidly, her stormy blue eyes reflecting her confusion, "You need _space?" _Her jaw hardened and her eyes turned flinty, "Did you just tell me you needed _space?" _

Hatter nodded, "Yes. I need to get m'self sorted, and to be honest… I think you'll be in the way of that."

Alice recoiled as the words hit home. Hatter wished he didn't have to do it this way, but she'd not listen otherwise. It killed him to hurt her, but he knew he was doing what was best. He steeled himself for the next part, but he knew it was necessary. Already, she was calculating… she'd figure out what he was doing quickly enough if he didn't strike deep enough. He wouldn't blame her if she'd never forgive him for this… but she'd be safe.

He cleared his throat, "And I think you should hold on to this," he began, slipping the engagement band from his finger and pressing it into her hand.

Tears stood out in her eyes and he forced himself to meet her gaze resolutely. If he could say it, he owed it to her to witness her pain. He just wanted to gather her into his arms and take it back, but he daren't. _You're doing the right thing by her,_ he reassured himself. Now to drive it home.

"I'll send over your things, but I'd like you to leave."

Alice stood, vibrating with fury. She stared at the ring in her hand and closed her hand around it in a fist, the cold metal biting into the soft skin of her palm.

She slapped him. A hard blow that rocked his head back and knocked the hat from his head. The heat from her handprint on his cheek was a smarting indication of just how angry she was. Alice _didn't_ loose control like that. She just didn't, and Alice certainly never hit people, especially him. He nodded, "I deserved that, I know."

Alice couldn't recall ever feeling so angry and betrayed. Not even when she found out Jack had used her. If he truly thought she'd _for one instant _bought that line of bullshit, maybe he _had_ lost it. He was looking at her with that same sad self-sacrificing woebegone expression he'd worn when he'd told her to go off with Jack back when she'd made her first trip to Wonderland, and she felt herself growing even angrier. She hadn't done the right thing then. She would this time.

"We are in this together. If you think I'm leaving you alone to deal with this you're crazy," she hissed. "Some space? Seriously? You think I'm going to believe you need _space? You? _Do you think I'm stupid?"

He gaped at her, openmouthed, "I…"

She pushed the ring back into his hand, "Put that back on before I make you swallow it," she threatened.

He took the ring from her, but didn't put it back on his finger. He stared at in the palm of his hand, stunned.

She moved closer to him, her hand searching for his, "Is it Dodo? Is that what this is about? You really think he'll leave me alone? Believe me, Hatter, the safest place for me is next to you."

The words seared him. She trusted him so much, and he didn't deserve it, "No. No," he pressed his lips together to stop their shaking. The safest place for her was as far away from him as she could get.

"Tell me, please? Tell me how to help you," she asked.

Hatter wouldn't meet her eyes, "I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

Her brow furrowed, "Are you serious?" He met her gaze for a brief second, and the pain she saw there was staggering, "You _are."_

Alice shook her head, "Hatter no. You can't hurt me. You couldn't."

He still refused to look at her, "I almost killed that man. If I hurt you Alice… if there is even the slightest chance-"

She took the ring from him and slipped it back on his finger. He allowed it, not resisting, although his hands were trembling.

Alice dropped his hands and put her arms around his narrow waist, "Look at me."

He couldn't do it. If he did, he would break.

"Hatter?" she said softly, "Look… I know you won't hurt me. I _know. _Would you just _look at me? _Hatter?_" _

She sighed and cradled his cheek in her hand, "Look at me and tell me you think you could hurt me."

His heart ached so badly it stole the breath from his lungs. He tried to tell her he would… he would and she should go far away, but he couldn't make himself do it. The best he had in him was just to not answer at all.

"David?"

_That _won her a reaction; his dark chocolate eyes locked on hers, his name from her tongue lashing through him like a whip. He crushed her to him, "Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot."

"You are," she agreed, but she he held him to her as tightly as he was holding her.

She held him for long moments, stroking his hair and murmuring reassurances. "You know, I never slapped anyone before," Alice said as he got control of himself once again and began to pull away.

Hatter chuckled, "Believe me love, I've been slapped plenty of times."

"Oh, I do…" she replied.

They decided on Stephano's pizza for dinner. It was delivery, and a key ingredient for comfort for the two of them. They listened to music and talked and drank tea long into the night. The quiet time alone together went a long way towards soothing Hatter's battered soul, but at two in the morning, Hatter was still awake. He was at a loss to what to do with himself; his brain would not stop chasing its tail.

He placed the kettle on the hob. His family had an old adage…when in doubt, drink tea. An idea came to him in a flash of insight. There was one thing that always helped him to think, to get his thoughts sorted and to help him find his center… he needed to blend a new tea. He left a note for Alice in case she woke to find him gone, and pulled on the tan trousers and the cream and forest green paisley silk shirt he'd worn earlier and topped it with his brown leather jacket and tweed trilby. He sincerely doubted that Alice would wake before he'd get back, at least he _hoped_ he'd be able to get this out of his system and get some sleep soon. He kissed her cheek and slipped out of the flat.

Hatter lost himself in the process of creation as he measured and tested each new ingredient before blending it into the whole. He poured all the fear and anger and frustration he was feeling into his creation, tempered with the overwhelming love he felt for his Alice. He could hardly believe she'd seen through him so clearly, but he should have known. She could look right through his bullshit like no one else had ever been able to.

He was not entirely sure if it was because she had the ability to see him clearly, or that he was rubbish at hiding _anything_ from her, but the end result was the same. She'd been right, in any case. He hadn't been thinking when he'd tried to send her away. He'd been frightened and angry with himself, and his mind had immediately gone to isolating himself as the solution. Of all the daft ideas to have… He sighed, disgusted with himself. The worst of it was, he'd hurt Alice. He'd hurt her for no reason other than his own stupidity. He added a bit more tannin-rich black tea to the mix for bitterness. He had bitterness aplenty.

His mind turned to the problems at hand. Dodo was a threat he couldn't afford to ignore… perhaps if he could find a way to let the police in on the search for him? No… he could lose the Stone forever if that happened. Hatter needed to be the one to find him. Perhaps Erica could find a link? If not, it was only a matter of time before Dodo found him. Worse case was he kept Alice where she was safe, and he'd let Dodo find him. If the man was as mad as Hatter believed him to be, then surely he'd try something desperate when he found his plan to capture Hatter had failed. He'd have to have been furious when he realized Ryan had betrayed him. His plan to ruin Hatter financially had failed spectacularly, as had his plan to capture him. Hatter would just have to stay alert.

All he truly wanted was to marry his Alice and settle down into a nice quiet life running his tea shop. If all went well tomorrow, they would begin to shop for Alice's dress afterwards. Erica had assured him that the shop was manned for tomorrow, and he should spend the day taking care of necessary business. He'd been too grateful to question it overmuch. He felt he'd worked through things sufficiently to go into public again. He hoped. If he had another episode like earlier today, he'd could always have Alice lock him up and fit him with a straightjacket, he mused, laughing to himself. It was not funny, not really, but he'd had to laugh so he'd not cry. Damn Dodo for instigating this. He'd make him pay.

Hatter locked the door to his tea shop and headed back up the stairs feeling much calmer than before. He had a plan of sorts, albeit a loose one. After today, he suspected Alice would go along with his request that she not go anywhere alone, at least for a short time. Dodo was not known for his patience; he would act soon when he realized Hatter had come back. Back from the dead, it would seem to him. Good. The more he was shaken, the easier it would be.

Hatter stripped off his clothing and slipped into bed again with Alice. She snuggled up to his side in her sleep, and he obligingly circled his arms around her and held her close. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her hair, contented and calm once again. He closed his eyes, and in moments, he was asleep.

**TBC**

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A/N: Did you like it? I hope so. So, did you think that Alice was actually going to let Hatter leave her? *grins* **

**Please tell me what you think? Poor muse had been getting beat down and she's in desperate need of reviews to help inspire her to write. Oh, and a Missing Reel for this? Perhaps... speak with my muse on that, if you would. She likes dark chocolate and snickerdoodles... and macaroons are always good too. *grins* Will work for bribes.**

**Oh, and for Primeval fic readers, the last chap of "We Need a Holiday" is up. It's "M" so it doesn't appear on the main page.**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Happy Holidays folks! I was neck deep in Connor and Abby for Christmas ficcage, but I desperately wanted to do something for Alice readers, also. First was the Missing Reel titled 'Hungry for You," and second was this gi-bundously large chapter (5K) that has a little something ya'll have been waiting for. Thanks so much to those of you that have continued to read and review! It means a lot!**

**The Missing Reel, set in Ch 34: (just take out the spaces) www. fanfiction. net /s/6561776/1/Hungry_for_You_A_Forever_Missing_Reel**

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Chapter 35

Alice had set the alarm, but he hardly needed it, not with all that lay ahead of them today. Hatter wished he had a better reaction to stress than sleeping lightly, or not at all, but he supposed it had kept him alive a time or two. It was _not _particularly helping now. Since he'd met Alice, fear and worry had become such a part of him that a little bit more added to the mix shouldn't faze him, but it did. There was a very real possibility that all they'd just survived would be for nothing if the legal system didn't give him a little bit of sympathy. Alice had assured him that Jonas was a very good solicitor, and if anyone could get him an extension to avoid proceedings for immediate deportation, it would be him.

After that, they'd make a quick trip to the police to give the full version of his and Alice's disappearance over the last month. He'd have to blame the drugs for most of the inconsistencies, but Ketamine had been known to cause memory loss and hallucinations. He and Alice had spent a few hours reading what the wide world of the internet had to say on the subject, and Hatter was left a lot wiser, and also faintly disturbed by what he'd read. He'd also felt very lucky that he hadn't had all that much of the poison injected into him, and he hoped Alice wouldn't have any lasting aftereffects. She'd had considerably more.

It was dark yet, but he wasn't sleeping anymore. No point lying there pretending he could. He sat up and passed a hand over his face and then slid out of bed as quietly as he was able. He put on the kettle and settled in with a stack of books to keep him company as he waited for Alice to wake.

* * *

Hatter studied the contents of the wardrobe, thinking on what was best suited for this particular situation. He heaved a reluctant sigh and chose black trousers, a white shirt with diminutive black paisleys, and a black pinstriped waistcoat and tie. The idea was to appear respectable and somber, and this was it. Alice cast him a sidewise glance as he began dressing; her lips twitched as if she wanted to speak but she didn't comment. Her decision was easy; she was wearing the dark grey suit and vibrant silk blouse that Hatter had picked out for her on their shopping trip to Macy's.

She watched him scowl as he dressed himself in monochrome, head to toe. The shirt had some character, but the pattern was so small that you had to be standing right next to him to notice it. Her brow knit in thought; she went to where his ties were hung up in a rainbow of color in the closet and chose one patterned in a large paisley print in shades of blue.

"Wear this one. It will make you feel more like yourself and it's perfectly acceptable for court," she said.

He turned to look at her, "I'm afraid this won't go well. I just want to make the best impression I can, and I know sometimes me clothes are a bit… dramatic."

She smirked, trying to lighten the mood, "And you always look gorgeous in them and you know it."

He met her gaze, his face arranged in lines of helpless worry and trepidation. He'd put a good face on it, tried to pretend he wasn't bothered by this. Really, it should have been the least of his worries. Erica had tweaked his records and now he officially existed in Alice's world. Even if the court moved to deport him, he could register an appeal and present the documents before the actual deportation, but still, his stomach was tied in knots. If this went well, it was one less thing hanging over them, one less obstacle to overcome. What he would give for a break. Just once would be nice.

"Oh," Alice said softly as she looked at him and registered the look on his face. "Hatter… it will be fine, no matter what they decide, okay?"

He nodded, "I'm being a proper idiot, I know. I just want something to go right for us."

She pressed her palm over his heart as she moved in close to him, "Been rough lately, but I think not dying constitutes things going pretty okay for us."

He found a small smile for her, "Yeah. I'm okay, really. Sorry."

He took the tie from her and bent to kiss her; her arms went around him to touch soft skin under his still unbuttoned shirt. The kiss turned heated, his mouth moist and warm and tasting of Hatter. Alice's breath sped as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss into something more than what had been intended. As they broke away for air, she saw her own desire mirrored in his dark chocolate eyes, the pupils blown wide.

"Have to go," she managed to stutter.

"Yeah, we do," he replied in a breathless growl.

"No time for-" she began. He was kissing her again, and she couldn't remember what had been so pressing. They had a little extra time, after all, "Maybe a little time," she breathed.

"I have an understanding with time," Hatter murmured into her ear, "We'll make it."

* * *

They met Jonas and Carol downstairs in the tea shop, still a little flushed. Hatter settled his black fedora atop his now even more mussed than usual hair. Alice had a habit of grabbing fistfuls of it, and his unruly hair usually ended up more surprised looking than normal after she had a go at him. Carol narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but he kept an innocent expression plastered on his face, although Alice was blushing furiously. Carol and Jonas had been kept waiting more than ten minutes, but at least James had kept them entertained whilst they waited.

"Ready to go then, aren't we?" Hatter asked.

Carol nodded, "Hatter, I don't know how they did things where you're from, but in America the judges get upset when you aren't on time."

Jonas smiled mischievously at Carol, "I told him the time to appear minus forty minutes. You've mentioned a time or two about him arriving on 'Hatter time,' so I thought it prudent.

"Oi! I'm always on time for work…" Hatter disagreed, trying to match Jonas' light tone. He was feeling considerably calmer than he did a half hour prior, but he'd not call himself calm. Perhaps calm-ish. "And we still had more than enough time to get to the courthouse, even if we were meant to be there at nine o'clock."

"So you just keep your future mother-in-law waiting?" Carol asked wryly.

Was Carol _teasing him? _And teasing about becoming his mother-in-law? He gave her an apologetic smile, unsure of how to answer.

"Sorry to keep ya waiting," he settled on.

Carol frowned, Hatter was usually much quicker on the uptake than that. He must be nervous. "Are you okay? Are you sure you're up to this?"

He nodded, letting his apprehension show through for a moment, "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. Let's get this over with, yeah?"

* * *

Meeting the judge wasn't as bad as he'd thought; he barely even had to speak. The judge was friendly, even. Hatter still felt as if he was about to hear 'off with his head,' at any moment, though. His past experiences with justice made a court of any type a frightening place to be. Those that were summoned to face charges never won, and they never walked out alive. It helped that Alice was there, and he was touched that Carol had chosen to come along as a show of support. It _could _be that she was there for Jonas, but Hatter really didn't mind if he was perhaps a thinly veiled excuse for her to spend some time with his lawyer. He figured if anything, it would help Jonas try harder.

He'd gotten the extension Jonas requested; the Judge had read the police reports, had seen Hatter's bruised and scratched face (and he'd even given himself a fresh shave to make him look younger and softer) and she had granted another thirty days with no hesitation. In this case, being a dual citizen had worked in his favor. England had no doubt of his citizenship, after all. He was surprised to learn that dual citizenship in the U.S. was fairly uncommon, except in cases like his where he'd been 'born' in the U.S. to parents with citizenship in the U.K. Most people had to choose one citizenship or the other, but in Hatter's case, it was a Constitutional right that he was allowed to keep both. Jonas advised that it was prudent for him to keep it.

Carol had suggested they go to catch a bite to eat after, but Hatter and Alice declined. They wanted to get the police station and give their official statement, and then Hatter was determined to at least begin wedding dress shopping with Alice. Besides, he was not above playing a little bit of matchmaker, and he thought Carol and Jonas could use some alone time. Jonas offered to take Carol out for lunch instead, and she accepted with a flirtatious smile. It seemed that things had been a little tense between them when he and Alice had gone missing, and he hoped (though he suspected) it was no fault of theirs.

It was the least he could do to help smooth things over. Sometimes it was easier not knowing the truth, and he knew it put Carol in a uncomfortable position with her knowing not only his true background, but his location whilst they'd been missing. He was sure she'd had to evade the truth or perhaps lie outright to Jonas, and he was sorry for that. He hoped she'd not have to have reason to do so again in the future.

Alice called the station to let them know they were on the way, and Hatter turned his thoughts inward as he constructed the finer details of his story.

They were met at the police station by another police friend of Alice's named Toby. He also used the dojo, like a few other members of the force. One of the part time instructors at the dojo was an officer at this precinct, so it was a popular choice. Hatter extended his hand to the man and Toby shook it firmly, a smile on his face but not in his eyes. Toby's gaze swept down Hatter, cool and assessing; Hatter watched him take in all the little details, much like he did himself when he was appraising a potential threat. Hatter pulled on his charming non-threatening face, but he could tell Toby was not buying it entirely. He didn't blame him. The story was the best it _could _be, but there were a lot of holes. They'd agreed that Alice would say she remembered next to nothing. She was a terrible liar, and there was a lot they simply could not explain from the time Alice had gone missing and onwards.

The one thing they had working for them was that Ryan Shipley had been a nasty deviant, and the police had collected evidence from his home to substantiate that. Hatter and Alice had also been also key witnesses to put away kidnapping, drug dealing, trafficking, and who knows what else gang members of the worst sort. They were local heroes of a sort for chasing the Locos out of their neighborhood and making it a much safer place. Hatter quickly realized that none of that mattered to detective Toby Jones. What mattered to him was that Hatter was known to be capable of killing a man… with his bare hands on one occasion. Hatter figured it had something to do with the 'detective' moniker. He'd read about police detectives, but he was still sorting out the difference between fact and fiction in Alice's world. He tried not to take it personally, telling himself it was the man's job to find the truth.

His initial statement made, he was then questioned and cross-questioned and questioned again. He hoped Alice was alright, and she had managed to hold her story together. He was able to report every detail of the time he and Alice had spent in Ryan's tender care at the warehouse as truth, and he related the car ride as it happened, but just altered where he'd found himself when he awoke. After that point, he claimed that he'd been drugged for most of the time, and had very few details to share. He could see the frustration on the detective's face, and he knew they'd been searching for Ryan. They would never find him.

He repeated his statement for the fifth time, and began to let his impatience show through. They were not under investigation, and he was not pleased that he was being treated as if he was. He said as much, and the detective stopped the questioning shortly after. He thanked Hatter for giving them so much useful information, and if Hatter detected a note of sarcasm, it was probably because it was there.

Though he hated to send the police on a search that would net nothing, he'd not seen any alternative, not when Alice had a job to keep and school to think of and friends that knew she'd been gone an entire month. She had been kidnapped, escaped, and then had promptly gone missing herself after calling in favors from her police friends to help look for him. People ask questions about things like that. It was best to have an answer, and Ryan was an acceptable scapegoat. Alice met him in the hallway and though she gave his hand a squeeze and held onto it, she did not appear overly distressed. He would guess they'd treated her more gently. Alice promised they had no immediate plans to leave the area, and relieved, they left the station behind them.

Hatter pulled her into him, his arm around her, "Done and done."

Tomorrow Hatter would be back to work, and he'd not wanted to think overmuch about the state of his tea shop. He trusted James and Erica, but he simply did not believe that they would have run the shop as he might do. Had they still done the weekly High Tea? Did they find his selection of custom teas blends in the back room so that they had new specials? The shop had begun to turn a decent profit; he just hoped the customers had continued to come in. On top of that, there was the nasty business of finding Dodo and the ring… or letting Dodo find him. He put it from his mind to concentrate on the business at hand.

Alice glanced up at him, "Yes, done. I feel much better now. You?"

Hatter nodded, "Yep. Lunch?"

Alice laughed, "I take that as a good sign," and then sobered once she read that he hadn't acted all that relieved, "They had you in that room for ages. Do you think there's a problem?"

He chewed his lip as he thought, "No. Nothing they can nail down, but your detective friend didn't totally buy it. He thinks I'm hiding something… he's suspicious."

Alice nodded, "But that really doesn't matter, does it? I mean, there's nothing for them to find, and it's not like they'll find Ryan," she shuddered, "What little that's left of him by now."

His dark eyes met hers briefly and he nodded, "Yeah. Doesn't mean I like it."

They found a restaurant that seemed a good bet considering it was well after the main lunch rush, and it was still crowded. Hatter was subdued and wary, although he was not strung nearly as tightly as he had been the day prior. Alice was determined to drag him out of it, kicking and screaming if necessary. She smiled wickedly, she had an idea.

"Maybe I'll have the Belgian waffle with whipped cream and strawberries. You know how much I love the taste of cream," Alice said in her best seductive voice as she looked over the menu.

Hatter just looked at her, bemused.

"And I am _so hungry_," she continued. She licked her lips and leaned forward, "Seems like it has been forever since I had something good in my mouth… to eat," she flirted.

He laughed, "Are you trying to chat me up? You've got me already, ya know."

Alice smiled triumphantly, "I was trying for _that,_" she said, touching the dimple in his left cheek with her forefinger.

They ordered coffee and breakfast; Alice smirked as their waitress appeared to be a little awestruck over Hatter, and even more so when he opened his mouth to order. She could sympathize. One smoldering look from Hatter could still turn her insides to water, and always had, although she thought she'd concealed it fairly well. It helped that when she'd met him, she'd thought his character was repulsive, even if the outside packaging was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. She knew better now; he was just as intriguing on the inside. The waitress stuttered back their order and Hatter gave her a reassuring crooked grin, amused by her reaction. Alice bit her lip to keep from laughing as the waitress smiled back and then fled in an embarrassed rush.

"Not nice to turn that smile on her. It's deadly," she teased.

Hatter laughed, "Could say the same about yours, love."

"Somehow I don't think it will have the same effect on our waitress," Alice replied dryly.

Hatter snorted, but smiled. Mission accomplished; Hatter had relaxed almost to the point of normalcy. The waitress came back to refill coffee and water more often than was probably necessary, Alice noted with amusement, but she just enjoyed the good service as she took advantage of the opportunity to talk with her fiancé. They'd hardly had a chance to.

They discussed their plans for the rest of the day, wedding shopping being first and foremost. Alice needed a dress, and Hatter needed a suit, and then there were the flowers, the guests, the invitations. Alice's eyes widened as Hatter ticked off the list of things still to be done as if he was an official wedding planner. He really was serious about doing this the 'right' way. Well, she wouldn't take that away from him. As long as they got married in the end, that was all that mattered. And it was kind of cute.

"You know, we actually have a little more time to plan now since you're not getting deported," Alice remarked.

Hatter froze mid bite for a split second, but then he covered it. He chewed to give himself a moment to think of how to answer her. He licked his lips and leaned forward, "Would you like to put it off?" he asked, carefully neutral.

She met his steady gaze and thought about it for a few moments, "No… but I want enough time to plan the wedding, I only intend to do this once, you know, so I'd like to do it right. That is, unless you change your mind about just going to Vegas instead? "

He gave a short laugh, tinged with relief, "No. No Vegas… honeymoon perhaps?"

She snorted, "As if we have time for one."

Hatter smiled wryly, "True," his smile softened, "We _will_ go off together for a honeymoon… once we get this sorted. If life went on without us for a month, it can do it for a week, yeah?"

Alice grinned, "Yeah."

* * *

Hatter got a few raised eyebrows in the bridal shop for his refusal to wait in the men's lounge. He was there to help Alice find a dress, and stuff tradition. The sales associate had started out by eyeing him with polite disapproval, and then by ignoring his suggestions, but Hatter plied his trademark charm, and soon he was wandering the storeroom with her in search of the perfect dress. Alice had been explicit in what she'd wanted for her dress, so Hatter confined his search to her criteria. Alice tried them all on, and she looked incredibly beautiful to Hatter's eyes no matter what she wore, but none of them were quite right.

Alice asked if they had something a bit less ordinary and Hatter raised an eyebrow, "I saw some dresses in the back, but they weren't what ya said ya wanted."

She looked down at the yards of tulle surrounding her and frowned, "What I wanted doesn't look good. I trust you, Hatter. Find me something, and I'll try it on."

His lips turned up in a cocky smile and he gestured for the sales associate to exit first with a flourish. The associate knew exactly what Hatter had in mind; he had been eying the area reserved for high end designers and more unusual colors and selections available. He knew the dress as soon as he saw it, but he chose a couple more dresses that would work well for Alice should she not fancy his selection. The clerk told him the price, and Hatter was mildly shocked that one article of clothing could be so costly, but she pointed out that the lacy monstrosity on the mannequin to his right was priced at nine thousand dollars. Hatter almost swallowed his tongue at that figure, and decided that the dress he'd chosen for Alice was a bargain.

Hatter popped his head around the corner to the dressing room, his eyes dancing merrily, "Ready?"

Alice rolled her eyes, "Just let me see, drama queen."

Hatter winced in mock offense, "Wounded, I am. I search through mountains of chiffon and satin and lace all to find-"

Alice glared at him, "Now."

He chuckled and brought in the three dresses he'd chosen. She studied him and narrowed her eyes, "Which one is it?"

"Hmm?" he replied innocently.

"The one you found. _The _dress. You found it, or you wouldn't be… beaming."

He presented it from the bottom of the pile and her eyes widened, "Oh!"

He nodded, "My thoughts exactly."

Hatter retreated to the room outside to wait for Alice to be laced into the dress. He flipped his hat, made it dance, and twirled it whilst he waited anxiously for Alice to appear. He wasn't disappointed. His breath caught in his throat and he swore his lungs had stopped working completely as she walked out from the changing room. It was amazing on her. This was the one.

She got on the pedestal with the associate's help, and spun to face the mirror slowly. She could tell by Hatter's awestruck expression that it looked good, but she wanted it to be perfect, now that he'd strong-armed her into doing the whole formal wedding thing.

She gasped, feeling tears stinging her eyes; the satin ball gown was perfect. The fitted strapless corset bodice hugged her body beautifully. It was embellished with silver scrollwork and delicate black flowers along the top edge of the bust line, and a larger representation of the design under the bust. The bodice fit like a second skin until the line of her hip, and then it cascaded out to a deeply pleated full skirt with patterned panels in the same delicate scrolling silver and black design inset into the pleats. The back laced like a true corset, and the skirt terminated in a three foot train trailing behind her. It was beautiful and elegant, and the swirling silver design echoed the one in her and Hatter's wedding bands.

"Beautiful," Hatter said simply, a strangely vulnerable expression on his face, "How did someone the likes of me manage to talk you into marrying me?"

She turned to face him, "You can be very convincing."

He rose to give her a hand off of the pedestal. The sales associate had wisely hung back during the exchange. She knew when she'd made a sale, and she was not about to jeopardize it.

He smiled at her, "Best go take that off, love. You're gonna have me in tears if ya don't," he said, his voice soft.

Alice felt a curious melting sensation in her chest at the look in his eyes and the love in his voice. She lay her hand on his cheek, went on her toes and kissed him, a light brush of her lips over his as her answer, and then turned and walked away.

She was measured and pinned and tucked; she was completely shocked that it wasn't as simple as asking for the dress in her size, and then getting it hemmed to fit. She'd never been one of those girls that read bridal magazines or planned her wedding from childhood, and she was shocked at how much _work _went into it.

Hatter went wandering through the men's department; he figured he'd get a jump on his own shopping if they were to make it out of the bridal shop before midnight. By the time Alice joined him, he had a fairly clear idea of what he fancied. He'd chosen a black suit to complement Alice's dramatic black and white dress, flat front trousers with a satin stripe down the out seam, a velvet swallowtail jacket with satin lapels and a simple white silk shirt with a tuxedo collar. Done.

He eyed the cummerbunds distastefully, and instead began inspecting waistcoats. The sales associate assigned to that department presented him with a book full of fabric samples and explained that they were custom made to order. He had nearly infinite choices. Alice pressed the sample book flat as she saw a similar design to the scrolling pattern in her dress embroidered in deep purple on gleaming white satin. He chose a silk cravat to wear as a tie in the same hue as the embroidery. He smiled as he spied a black satin top hat and indicated his interest in one if it could be fitted with a purple band. The associate looked as if he'd smelled something sour at his query, but replied that it could be done.

Alice seconded his choices, and then he went for his turn in the changing room. They would have to order his waistcoat in that particular fabric, and his suit had to be altered and fitted to him, but the overall effect of the finished product was there. All he needed was a cufflinks and a tie pin and shoes. Easy enough to acquire whilst they waited for their bespoke wedding finery. He came out of the room smiling, hoping that Alice would find him handsome.

She nodded vigorously, "Yes. Yummy."

He gave her a crooked cocky grin, his dark eyes dancing at her choice of adjectives and went to have his fitting attended to.

She couldn't wait to see how he would look in it, once it had been altered to fit exactly. He was so slim that the sample was at best an idea of what the finished product would look like, and he _still _looked like he could be on the cover of _GQ_, though she missed his scruff.

They were a bit disappointed to learn that it would be nearly a month before their clothes were ready, but at least they now had a workable date… provided no more rabbit holes swallowed them whole, they remained free of kidnappings, and nothing else horrible happened to them, to include the mess with finding Dodo. Hatter planned to put Erica to work on hunting for any possible clues to Dodo's assumed identity in this world, and Jack had given him the name that the Ten of Clubs went by in this world, and perhaps she could find _him. _Meanwhile, he figured the best plan he had was for he and Alice to be obvious about their return, and wait for him to come to them. He only hoped that it would be _before _the wedding.

**TBC**

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A/N: Ok, so links to the pictures of the wedding gear are on my profile. I'll put them at the bottom under "

**clothes/hats/etc... example pics from stories" so that I don't spoiler those going to check on story updates. **

**I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and please tell me what you think? Reviews are love. : )**

**Gown is gorgeous, isn't it? I wish I had a bit larger picture.**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: What a mess with those wedding pics! I have them fixed now, and I'm sorry I didn't realize till much later that they were all tiny. **_**Now **_**if you go to look at them you'll get a decent view. And all the links work. Promise. *grrr***

**I'd hoped to have this up sooner, but the flu had me truly down for the count for about three days. I hope it's worth the wait, and thanks so much to those that read and review. : ) You make my heart feel happy! (Oh, god. I just quoted Ni Hao Kai Lan. Kill me.)**

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Chapter 36

It was surreal to wake up and realize that he was to go back to work today, as if nothing had happened, Hatter reflected. Alice had already gone, leaving him to an empty flat and the echo of her presence. He turned his head towards her pillow and inhaled the scent of her hair that still lingered there as he remembered how she'd kissed him goodbye before she'd left that morning. She'd done so with a fierce intensity that had left him breathless, and he'd found it very difficult to go back to sleep after.

She'd resumed teaching her Tuesday classes, and then afterwards she had to go to the college to see what sort of deal she could wangle so that she didn't receive 'incomplete' grades for the courses she'd been taking when they disappeared. She said there were provisions for death in the family and emergencies, so she hoped that the hell they'd been through would qualify. She'd gotten copies of the police reports, hoping that it would add credit to her claim.

Hatter made her promise to use a taxi, and to stop into the tea shop before she headed over to the dojo to teach her afternoon class. She hadn't tried to argue for once, just nodded and advised him to be careful and keep his eyes open. He planned to. He knew Erica would do the same, and the girl was sharp. She'd notice anything out of the ordinary, and she was so cheerful and unassuming that anyone that proved to be a threat would likely underestimate her. He'd seen her in action at the dojo, and he knew that to be a fatal misconception. He knew he'd be at her mercy for a bit today whilst she got the details of the ordeal in Wonderland out of him, but he supposed if he was going to enlist her aid, she deserved to hear the story.

He showered and dressed carefully, mindful of the still fading bruises and cuts on his face and body. He tried his charmingly affable smile on, checking the mirror to see if it looked as insincere as it felt. No. Not even a hint of artifice. Good. He took a deep breath and went down to his tea shop to face the day, determined to try to act as if he didn't see danger at every turn. Methodically, he thought through every mundane thing he hoped to accomplish, putting thoughts of Dodo and Wonderland and Guardianship and the bloody pain in the arse Stone of Wonderland out of his head. He needed to spend some time with his books to run the numbers, and he hoped he could talk Erica into staying a little later past her shift than usual to give him some more time with them.

He was pleased to see people in the shop, and he took that as a good sign. Someone was at the register, blocking his view of Erica. A genuine smile broke out on his face at the prospect of seeing his friend again. One of the things he truly loved about this world was that he _had _friends… people that he genuinely liked that were not looking for some type of payoff from him. Sure, Erica worked for him, but she'd done more for him than he felt he'd done for her, and under it all, they _were _friends. He liked her, and he trusted her, and he genuinely looked forward to seeing her at work every day.

The customer finished paying and exited, clearing Hatter's view. The smile froze on his face; the girl behind the counter was _not _Erica. He didn't know who she was, but as she raked him with an assessing gaze from top to bottom, he got the distinct feeling she knew _him_ on sight. He knew for a fact he would have remembered if he'd met her before. For one, under her little black pillbox hat complete with widow's veil, she had very short spiky black hair liberally streaked with brilliant green and blue, a diamond stud in her left nostril, two gold rings in her right eyebrow, and an assortment or earrings up the curve of both ears. What he'd taken to be a rather elaborately peacock feather patterned shirt was in all actually tattooed on her chest where it showed above a black corset. He would have remembered meeting her. _Anyone _would have remembered meeting her.

He strode over to the counter, smile still in place though it had grown brittle around the edges, "Where is Erica?" he asked, as politely as he was able. The idea of a stranger behind the counter at _his _tea shop was enough to raise his hackles instantly, and all his considerable self discipline was still not enough to keep it out of his voice entirely. Below the corset she wore a floor length black velvet skirt and bright blue point-toed high-heeled boots. Alice had called the look 'Goth' when he'd asked after some kids that had come into the tea shop dressed similarly. They were a dour lot, that was for sure… always ordered _Sorrow _tea, no milk. He figured they must fancy his shop though, because they kept coming back. He'd yet to get a smile out of all but one of the girls, and she'd quickly hidden it. He quite liked them; they had a flair for drama he appreciated and he liked the challenge.

"She popped out for a bit, but she'll be right back. You must be Hatter," she said, extending her hand to him.

He raised an eyebrow, but took her hand and shook it. She had a deep voice for a woman, but not unpleasant, and though she spoke with an American accent, there was something in her cadence and the slight twisting of her words that reminded him of his own speech.

"And you are?" he asked when she failed to offer the information herself.

She narrowed her kohl lined light green eyes, "Jade Dragoness," she stated imperiously.

Hatter shot her an incredulous look, "Come again?"

She giggled, and deep dimples to rival his flashed in both cheeks, "I'm kidding. My name is Melissa Delmonico... Missy. Not as theatrical, is it?"

He blinked rapidly, trying to suss out what her intentions were. She'd caught him off balance, and he did not like it one bit. "And you're in me shop because?"

"I work here," she grinned impishly, "Erica hired me."

As she saw the confusion on his face edging towards irritation, she hastened to explain, "She needed me, and I work cheaply. I'm an artist so I can work all hours. Starving artist... emphasis on starving. I'm minimum wage, provided I can use your walls as my gallery and I keep all the profit. I do late nights and fill in during the day when I'm needed. I think you know my husband Ken from the dojo?"

He nodded, "Yeah." He remembered him, but he would have never thought the two of them were a couple. Kenny was piercing and tattoo free, as far as he had seen, and he seemed very much as an average jeans and t-shirt type. He supposed that shouldn't count for much. He and Alice probably gave off the same level of incongruity. He looked at the walls of his shop, noticed the canvases hung there and actually _looked_ at them. They were _good_... interesting. He narrowed his eyes at her, "How much do ya actually know about tea?" She smiled brightly. _Huh, a cheerful Goth. _

"My mother is from Yorkshire, like you. She keeps teas of every variety in our home, always has done. She says it helps her to not feel so homesick. I like to drink it, and I know most of the names, but I don't know nearly as much as James or Erica about much else," she answered honestly.

Well, that explained her strange accent, anyway. "Hnnn. How long ya been working here?" he asked.

She dropped her voice to barely above a whisper and leaned in, "Look, please don't be angry with Erica. She was having a hard time covering all the hours and I made the offer to help. She said you may fire me when you got back, but she just needed help," she pleaded.

Hatter waited, an eloquent eyebrow raised, waiting for an answer. Could she not just _answer the question? _

She realized what he must be waiting for when he didn't reply, "Two weeks."

Hatter nodded to himself, it made sense. Erica needed help, he'd left the shop to her to run. He didn't anticipate she would _hire _anyone whilst he'd been away, though. He wasn't sure what he thought about this, or _her_. He wanted to like her, but last time he'd hired someone he didn't know it hadn't gone so well. Alice had personally vouched for Erica, and frankly, after the Ryan fiasco he was dead against hiring anyone new for a while. Even then, he planned to have them carefully monitored, and he'd have Erica do her computer magic and check their background first. He needed to find out how well Erica knew her, and then he'd discuss it with Alice.

As if on cue, Erica breezed through the door. She beamed him a sunny smile and gave him a quick hug. He returned it, but it was decidedly lacking in enthusiasm. Erica glanced from Hatter to Missy and back again, and bit her lip in consternation.

His brow furrowed, Hatter turned to Missy, "If ya don't mind, Erica and I have some stuff to discuss. We'll talk after, okay?"

"Sure," she answered easily.

Erica followed him back to his office, her normally smiling face set in apprehension. She must have realized he was not pleased to discover he had a new employee. He closed the door behind him and took a seat in one of the large comfortable chairs placed in front of his desk, gesturing for her to take the other.

"First off, how well do ya know Missy?"

Erica's face fell, "I'm sorry! I just couldn't do all the hours, and James _shouldn't_ so I had to find someone. I've known her about a year, I guess," she spit out, nervous and apologetic. "She's really sweet, and I did a full background check. I'm _really _sorry, I tried-"

Hatter held up a hand to forestall any more explanations, "S'alright. You did what ya had to, and I'm grateful. I just need to know if I should keep her on, is all."

Erica nodded, "She's not like Ryan, if that's what you mean."

He nodded, all trace of good humor gone from his face, "It is."

Erica shrugged, "I didn't tell her about the cameras, and she hasn't done anything shady. Customers like her, and she has some very pretty hats," her bright blue eyes met his gaze squarely, "I think she should stay. I'll take full responsibility."

Hatter leaned back in his chair. He flipped his hat from his head and twirled it across his knuckles as he debated what Erica had told him. He nodded slowly, "Perhaps." He grinned, his dimple flashing in his cheek, "Can I still afford to pay her?"

Erica smirked, "What, you think I'd run your business into the ground while you were off playing superhero?"

Hatter rolled his eyes, "Was _not_ playing a hero."

"James Bond?"

At his confused look, she just shook her head, "Never mind. Pop culture reference. We did okay… you can afford her. Moving on! Okay... spill it. I want every detail of your Wonderland experience."

He told her most of what had happened. He knew Alice would fill her in on the finer points as soon as they had time to chat, but he needed her to understand the seriousness of the mission they were given, and to do that, he had to tell her some things he'd rather not even _think _about again. Ever. She blanched when he described Ryan's fate, and he found himself telling her far more than he meant to when he started talking about how afraid he was for Alice. At the end of his tale, she was staring at him wide-eyed and pale. He needed her help, and he hoped that she'd still be willing to give it. He'd not blame he one bit if she wasn't.

He looked at his hands as he fiddled with the brim of his hat. He hated to do this. Dennis would be furious, and so would Alice. Hell, _he _was angry with _himself. _"I'd like ya to do some… investigating, if you could. Don't do nothing that'd land ya in trouble with the law though, yeah?" he hastened to add. He cleared his throat and looked at her askance, "And Alice might not want ya to do _that _much. Pretty sure she'd be furious at me for asking this of ya."

Erica nodded, "Probably. Are you asking me not to tell her?" she asked, her voice tight.

Hatter's hat took an impressive flip as he thought about how to answer her. He chewed on his lip for a moment and then shook his head. He settled his hat back on his dark mass of hair and smiled ruefully, "No."

Relief swiftly followed by bewilderment clouded Erica's face; she'd hoped he would never ask her to lie to Alice, but if that wasn't it, she wasn't sure what he was asking. "Then what?" she queried.

His lips twisted in a half smile, "Then I ask that you not tell her about it until I work up to telling her m'self."

Erica grinned, "May not want to be standing near anything breakable," she cautioned gleefully.

He gave a short laugh and nodded. "You'll do it?"

She snorted, "Of course I will. What are brilliant genius friends for?" Erica's face went serious, "And about Missy?"

"I need to speak with Alice first, and I don't fancy leaving her on her own late at night with someone out for me and Alice. She could get hurt. I don't need that on my conscience, do I? Maybe I can sort something out for her later, but-"

"Hatter… she's _been_ pulling the late shift," Erica argued. Hatter's expression grew thunderous at her words, and she hastened to recant, "Dropping it! Dropped. So dropped already," she said, holding her hands up defensively.

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Alice stopped by the tea shop before she headed out to the university, but Hatter really didn't have much free time to speak to her; he just mentioned that they had some things to discuss and he'd be working until closing. She settled for a lingering kiss in the back room in lieu of a real lunch break with Hatter, and headed off. She promised to call him when she was done at the dojo that evening so that he could watch for her out the front door. He was right to worry about Dodo, the man was nuts, but she thought that they were at an advantage. He probably had yet to realize that they had returned, if he'd even known where they'd disappeared to. He probably thought they were dead.

Hatter seemed to think that once Dodo realized they were back, he'd act against Hatter personally. He believed that the whole business with using Ryan had been to make Hatter suffer. He figured that's why he'd set up Ryan to steal from him. Dodo had wanted to ruin his business before he killed him. It was petty, and stupid, and exactly Dodo, according to Hatter. Alice was convinced that Dodo was simply crazy, and it was pointless to even bother trying to figure out his motives. She _was _sure that Hatter was right about her needing to keep her guard up. She even took a cab to the university just to ease Hatter's fears.

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Hatter smiled broadly as he saw Alice striding confidently down the sidewalk towards the tea shop; he'd missed her, even though it had been only a few scant hours since he'd last seen her. She kissed him on the cheek as she breezed through the door, and then sat at her table. He poured her a cup of his special of the day, and then went back to work, though he couldn't help but to watch her as he did so.

Alice sipped her tea and waited impatiently for Hatter to tell her what he'd wanted to discuss with her. She sincerely hoped it wasn't any more bad news. She truly didn't think she could handle any more bad news. She studied how he flirted and charmed his customers and decided that whatever it was, it couldn't be too terrible. She would have noticed it if something was truly bothering him. He sat next to her when he had a few moments and talked about inconsequential things, and it almost felt like things were normal again.

Alice broke the news that she'd have to repeat her classes next semester as they worked together to close up the shop for the evening. Alice had argued her case with the university, but the best she was able to manage was that she was able to drop the courses with no penalty. She'd have to take them again, but at least she wasn't out any money, just her time. She rationalized that at least the first part of her classes would be easier since she'd already gone through it once. She'd simply missed too much to continue on schedule.

Hatter sympathized, but didn't offer up what had been on his mind as she expected he would. She tried to wait patiently for Hatter's important topic of discussion; he would come out with it soon, she was sure. Somehow she didn't believe that the manner in which Erica had handled his daily specials while they were gone was what he'd wanted to talk about, and thus far, that was the most serious topic he'd brought up the whole evening. He was avoiding talking about it, whatever _it_ was. She knew him too well for him to hide it. He was talking nonstop about everything _but _what he said he needed to discuss with her.

"Jonas was amazing," he remarked as he pushed the broom over the tea shop's polished hardwood floors.

"Yeah. He's one of the best, I think," Alice agreed.

"You know, Wonderland hasn't got your _lawyers. _Everything is decided by a judge, and you just say your side, and the other person says theirs."

"Hmm. What if a person isn't good at explaining themselves?" Alice asked curiously.

Hatter shot her a wry grin, "They usually lose."

Alice gave a short laugh, "Wonderland doesn't seem to be very fair," she remarked.

Hatter shook his head, "No. It isn't. At least your people make an attempt to be fair and reasonable. That's one of the reasons I like it so much here," he sat the broom aside and wrapped his arms around her from behind, "besides _you_ that is."

She let him hold her a minute and then disengaged, "So… what's this big topic of discussion?"

He sighed, "Over tea?"

Alice stared at him, considering, "One of _those_?"

He shrugged, "Might take a while is all."

She let it go for the moment, satisfied that she'd have her answers soon. They'd grab a bite to eat, get comfortable, and then she'd make him tell her what it was he wanted to talk about.

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Hatter handed her a cup of tea and settled in next to her on the sofa with his own. She looked at him through her lashes as she took an experimental sip. He'd said he'd blended this one today, and he wanted her to try it. She closed her eyes and let the flavors and scent rising from the steaming cup wash over her. This was more subtle than she was used to. It almost made her think of an ordinary green tea, save for the notes of rose and lemon balm. It came to her in a flash. _Love and forgiveness? _Alice's gaze sharpened as she realized it. She wondered what he'd done that he needed her forgiveness for _this time._

"Tell me," she demanded.

A ghost of a smile twisted his lips, then was gone. "I asked Erica to help us track down the Ten of Clubs and Dodo," he replied.

Alice's eyes flashed in anger, "I thought we agreed to keep her out of this?" she replied, working to stay calm.

Hatter nodded, "Yes. Well, she is. Sort of." He held his hands up, "I made her promise not to do anything that could get her into trouble, but we need her help."

"You know damn well that she'll do whatever she has to, whether it gets her into trouble or not!" she fumed.

His brow creased, "We need her help, Alice," he said softly. "She's not in any danger, and I aim to keep her that way. If Dodo wished her harm, he would have done it by now, wouldn't he?"

Alice glared at him, "I _don't _like it."

"Me neither, but…" he shrugged.

"Next time, you speak to me first. I'm _not _happy."

He nodded, chagrined, "Yeah. I got that." He cleared his throat, "And speaking of Erica…"

He told her of the new hire to the tea shop, and his worry about whether he should allow her to stay on or not. Alice said she knew her, and she'd never been given cause to think anything bad about Missy. She thought Hatter should give her a chance. He worked himself half to death already, and when he'd had someone to work the late shift it had helped tremendously. He voiced his concerns about her working alone, and Alice threw his own argument back in his face. She could have easily been targeted while they were in Wonderland and he was not around to defend her. She was safe enough, obviously. Hatter gave in, although he was not thrilled with the idea of having another innocent bystander in the crossfire.

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The next few weeks passed as if in a blur. Alice and Hatter settled back into their normal routines for the most part, with a few notable exceptions. The large sword Hatter kept in the bedroom was one, and their new employee that had taken over Ryan's old hours was another. Hatter had begun to accompany Alice on all her runs, and despite his initial reservations, he found that he quite liked it. He definitely liked being near to Alice, though he still hated early mornings with a blinding passion. She'd offered a compromise; more often than not they went for evening runs together. One other thing that had changed was that neither one of them was ever left alone when they could possibly avoid it.

Alice was beginning to think that perhaps Dodo had given up, or that something had happened to him. Hatter was certain he had not. He felt as if they were being watched, a feeling that only had increased in intensity as more time went by. Though his nightmares had subsided when they first arrived home, they'd come back. Even if they were not as severe as before, they were far from pleasant. He was growing desperate to find Dodo before the wedding. He had the sinking feeling that he'd try whatever he had in store for him then. That was just Dodo's way.

Erica had a few leads on Raymond Diez, the pseudonym the Ten of Clubs had chosen, but today was the first time she'd found something like _this. _An address. Hatter wanted to go and check it out immediately, but if he did so without Alice she'd have his head on a platter. He busied himself in the tea shop as he waited for her to finish teaching her evening class. He'd already rung Missy and asked her to come in a little early, and in short order she arrived at the shop.

Alice noticed him as soon as he came in. It was hard _not_ to notice Hatter. It wasn't just his unusual clothing, wild unruly hair or ubiquitous hats, either. He had a sort of magnetic charisma that drew attention, and when he smiled that effect was breathtaking… at least it was to Alice. That smile combined with the dark intensity of his warm chocolate brown eyes was enough to make her knees literally go weak every time she saw him, although she was getting better at playing it off. At least she hoped so. She gave him a brief nod to acknowledge that she'd seen him come in and glanced at the clock. She had another five minutes to go.

She worked through the last few minutes of class, trying to keep her mind off of why Hatter had left work early. Her curiosity was killing her. His face reveled nothing, and that told her more than anything else. He'd found something out, probably to do with Dodo. She hurried to change into her street clothes after she released her students and went out to meet him. He smiled and brushed his lips over hers in a soft kiss.

"I've got an address for Ten," he disclosed.

Startled, she blinked up at him, "You want to go _now?_"

He nodded, "Yeah."

"It's late, Hatter. You don't think this can wait until morning?"

He sighed and shook his head, "No. I keep getting the feeling that if we don't find Dodo first, well… I just think we need to."

Alice knew that his hunches seldom proved to be unfounded. When Hatter got a feeling about something, he was usually spot on. If he truly believed they needed to go and find Ten, then they'd do so.

She nodded, "Okay. Let's go."

TBC

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**A/N: Oooohhh. Evil, ain't I? Could be worse, I say. That's not all that cliffhanger-y as far as cliffhangers go. I certainly hope you enjoyed this chapter, I struggled with it initially for some reason. Story is moving along now, though. Yep. **

**Please do feed my ravenous muse? She needs you!**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Hope ya'll like this. I'll just take a moment to say thanks so much to those of you that read and review, and thanks as well to those that favorite and story/author alert. The moment you take to tell me you are enjoying what I write means so much… I use the reviews to gauge how good my chapters are, and they really do help inspire me to write. : ) I'm blown away to realize that "Forever" has hit over 1K reviews! Wow! Thanks!**

**Now hold on tight…**

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Chapter 37

Hatter had gotten the address earlier in the evening, and as time went on grew more and more convinced that he needed to go to find Ten. _Raymond, _he corrected himself. For all he knew the man's name had actually _been_ Raymond, but the Queen had cared little for such things. She named her court by their occupations and positions, and she had neither known or cared what they called themselves before coming into her service. He'd come into her service pre-named, and perhaps she either liked his appellation, or she thought it had been her doing. Lucky for them all the Queen's memory had been short. _Good riddance, _he'd thought.

When Erica had provided him with Ten's address, he had planned to go to his flat the next morning, despite the curiosity and anticipation of finally getting closer to finding Dodo. It was the sane and rational things to do. Wait until morning, and then he and Alice could go and speak to him like normal people. Instead, as the evening wore on he'd become more and more convinced that he needed to _go. _His hands had started twitching, nervous energy burning through him. After a round of applause startled him into realizing he'd just given them a hat trick show without even realizing he'd been indulging into his nervous habit, he knew it couldn't wait. He had called Missy and she'd cheerfully agreed to come in early. Of course, Missy was always cheerful… she'd probably go to her own execution with a smile on her face.

He knew _something _was telling him he had to act, and he didn't know if he should be relieved or frightened if it turned out to be just his own paranoia. He hardly knew the difference anymore.

Alice turned to him as they left the dojo, "Are you sure about this?"

He shook his head in the negative, "No. But-" he sighed heavily, "Perhaps you're right. I'm bein' daft, it's late. Tomorrow-"

She stopped cold on the sidewalk and pulled on his arm until he stopped to look at her. She studied his expression, saw embarrassment and worry and something more… deeper, that she couldn't put a name to. She smiled softly, "No. I trust your instincts."

His mouth opened as if he were to speak, to argue, she imagined, but then he closed it with a snap and just nodded, "Thank you," he replied, his dark eyes softening. He wished he could trust himself as much.

Alice hailed them a cab; Ten's apartment was too far away for a walk, especially after dark in New York City. Hatter's anxiety didn't fade, even though they were on their way to see Raymond. If anything, the sense of urgency grew stronger on the way over. Alice kept giving him concerned glances; apparently he wasn't hiding it so well. He dug deep to try to force some outward calm for her sake. He wasn't sure there was cause for worry, and at any rate, he had enough for the both of them.

The emerged from the taxi and Hatter did a reflexive check of their surroundings; not a shady neighborhood, but not the nicest, either. One would do best to stay out of the alleyways, but the streets were fairly safe. He looked up at the place that Raymond Diaz had chosen to call home and took in a deep fortifying breath. The main door opened into a long hallway lined with rows of doorways. The flats must be fairly small, or at least narrow. The building was at least twenty floors high. Hatter would hate to have to live in such a tiny little box surrounded by people. He suddenly gained a whole new appreciation for his little flat above the tea shop.

He and Alice entered the main doorway flanked by two large glass panels. The glass was intact and clean; this was one of the nicer complexes, then. Probably had security of some sort. Hatter walked lightly on the balls of his feet, sensing something was not quite right. Ten's flat was the first one on the left side. His face went still and cautious; he raised a finger to Alice and brought it to his lips in the universal sign language for silence. Alice nodded in understanding. He motioned for her to stay where she was as he moved in front of Ten's door and _listened. _Alice had always sworn that Hatter had remarkably acute hearing, or maybe it was just because he paid attention, but when he listened, he heard things that she did not. If he asked her to be silent, she would.

He raised his hand to knock, but froze in alarm as he heard a disturbance inside the flat. He dropped his hand to the doorknob and turned, expecting it to be locked. The knob turned easily. Hatter motioned for Alice to stay put and pushed the door open, using his shoulder to slam into it when the door stuck in the frame.

"Mr. Hatter, care to explain why you are breaking and entering?" came a dry voice from the open main entryway door.

Hatter closed his eyes and leaned his head back. He turned to face Detective Toby Jones with his hands up, "It was open, and I'm checking in on a friend," he said quietly.

A disjointed scream and the crash of shattering glass exploding in a glittering arc from behind Toby's back halted any further conversation. Toby turned on his heel and knelt next to the still form of a man lying on the sidewalk, a scarlet stain blooming on his shirt. Hatter and Alice ran to join them; they had found Ten, if it wasn't already too late. Toby keyed his radio and called for an ambulance and backup as he held his hand over the bleeding wound in the man's side.

Dodo had made as if to follow him out the window to finish the job when he discovered that Ten was no longer alone. "You! You're dead!" Dodo growled.

Hatter met his gaze, fury whipping through him. Dodo looked as if he'd seen a ghost. After finding that Hatter was not as dead as he'd like to believe, his face rapidly transformed from shock to rage. He actually _had _believed them to be dead, that much Hatter was now certain of. Damn. He _really _would have rather kept it that way.

The detective grabbed Alice's hand, "Apply pressure, wait for the ambulance" Toby ordered, his hand going for his gun.

Alice struggled to get her hands in place of Toby's on the injured man so he could draw his weapon.

Toby shouted for him to freeze, but Dodo had fled as soon as he'd realized that Toby was an armed man with a police badge hanging from his neck who'd just witnessed him attempting to kill a man. Hatter traded a glance with Alice, understanding passing between them in an instant. He tore off after Dodo, ignoring Toby's shouts for him to stop.

Hatter stared at the open window at the back of the little flat. There was no place for him to hide; he had to have gone out the window. Hatter launched himself out the window and ran, knowing it was probably futile but needing to try anyway. He heard Toby's heavy footfalls behind him, but didn't stop to look. He hoped Raymond was still alive. Through the adrenaline and the anger, it occurred to him that if Toby was behind him, then Alice had been left alone. He faltered, his need to protect Alice stronger than his urge to find Dodo. He wasn't ready for it when Toby slammed him into the wall and locked a handcuff to his wrist.

"What the hell you think you're doing?" Hatter said indignantly.

Toby had him in an elbow lock. He was going nowhere unless he wanted to hurt the man. All that would do was land Hatter in a whole lot of trouble.

"Securing you until I figure out exactly what just happened," Toby answered.

Hatter rolled his eyes, "Look, I'm going nowhere. This is really unnecessary."

Hatter winced as Toby propelled him forward none to gently, his shoulder wrenching uncomfortably. "I was going after the bloke that hurt me friend. I'm on your side, this is ridiculous. Just talk to Alice, yeah?"

Toby ignored him, instead choosing to give instructions over his hand-held radio. Hatter wasn't sure whether he should hope they found Dodo, or hope they didn't. If the damn detective hadn't interfered, he would have been able to save Ten, catch Dodo, and put this whole mess behind them for good. Frustration welled up in him, enough to make him scream.

The paramedics had arrived by the time he and Toby emerged from the alley, and the man they'd known as Ten was coherent, though he still looked too pale. They were preparing to load him in the ambulance, and a police cruiser had just pulled up to the curb, another splitting off presumably to search for Dodo. He was almost out of time. He'd be detained for hours if he didn't get this sorted _now. _

Hatter called out, "Raymond! Please tell the police we're mates, yeah? I'd rather not get banged up just because I was tryin' to save your skin."

Raymond nodded, "He's a friend. I asked him to come over," his voice came weakly.

Hatter sent up a silent thank-you that Raymond still had enough presence of mind to give him that much. He hadn't known Ten well, but he knew the man had a talent for surviving, and was quick enough thinking to live under the Queen's rule in her inner circle for years without loosing his head, and Jack had trusted him implicitly. That was remarkable in and of itself.

Alice took one look at Hatter in cuffs, let go of Raymond's hand and stalked over to Toby, "What are you _doing?_" she asked so coldly that Hatter swore he saw ice chips flying off of her.

Toby glared at Alice; he lowered his voice to a low hiss and spoke quickly before the cops in the other car were able to reach them, "What am I supposed to think? Your boyfriend here is dangerous. He's killed two men, Alice. I see him going into an apartment late at night, dragging you along with him, and two seconds later a man is bleeding to death, and then he ran. In my experience if someone runs, I should cuff them until I figure out what's going on."

He unlocked the handcuffs, and continued," I _should_ have detained you also, and the only reason I didn't is because you're a friend and I know you wouldn't be involved in this if you knew better."

He turned to Hatter, "Stay put, or I'll do worse than put you in handcuffs."

"You've been following me!" Hatter cried, "What for? I've done nothing."

Alice had the grace to look embarrassed, "I asked if he could keep an eye on the shop because I was afraid that Ryan Shipley might come after us again. He's crazy, so-" she broke off helplessly.

She'd been afraid Dodo would strike when Hatter was alone, or that he'd target their customers. She was just trying to help. She didn't realize Toby had thought so little of him, or that he'd thought of _Hatter _as a threat to her.

Hatter closed his eyes, let out a frustrated groan and shook his head. Damn it, but this was inconvenient. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised that Alice had not thought he could look after himself, after all that had happened, but it stung. A lot. He put his hurt pride away for the moment. This was not the time. He thought furiously, he needed a story, and he needed to get the bones of it out so Alice could latch onto it before they were separated and questioned. She was a clever girl, but he needed to give her something to go on.

"Raymond rang me at work… said he'd needed to speak with me about somethin' important so I came as soon as I could. I thought he might be in some sort of trouble. Looks like he was, eh?"

Toby gave him a hard look and gestured for one of the uniformed officers to come over, "I need statements from these two, then let them go. Don't leave town."

Hatter snorted, amused. They'd heard that so often that at this rate he'd never be allowed out of the state. As Hatter predicted, they spilt them up with separate officers in order to give their statements. He kept it simple, repeating the fiction that an old friend had rung him and he'd been concerned so he came over as fast as he could. He sketched out a rough description of Dodo… vague enough to give the impression that he'd never seen him before. Dodo's words could easily be interpreted as meant for Raymond, and he was sure his story implied that. He knew Alice would do the same, and their stories would match fairly closely. After they'd been released, they caught a taxi to the hospital where Raymond had been taken to be stitched up.

Hatter was uncharacteristically quiet on the trip over, and Alice couldn't figure out exactly why. Oh, she'd asked him, but all he'd done was shrugged. When she pressed him further, he murmured this it was not important and turned away from her. If she didn't know better, she'd say that he was _pouting. _She slanted her eyes to him, studying his profile in the dim light of the interior of the taxi. His jaw was set and his nostrils were flared out, the line of his shoulders virtually _screamed _tension. He was angry about something.

She supposed that her decision to ask her friends on the force to keep an eye on the tea shop had upset him. He'd wanted them to handle this on their own, and he feared what would happen if the police caught Dodo before they did. She rolled her eyes and gave up trying to draw him into conversation. She was covered in blood, and thanks to her, so was Hatter, and she'd just watched someone nearly bleed to death. She was _so _not in the mood to deal with Hatter when he was being overly dramatic.

Hatter charmed his way into seeing Raymond. This was the same hospital he spent every other Sunday performing his hat tricks for the kids in the terminal ward. He was well known and well liked here, and the fact that he'd dropped one of his devastating dimpled grins on the head nurse had gone a long way towards gaining them admittance, although he was cautioned not to stay long.

They found Raymond lying back on a hospital bed, his eyes drug glazed, but open.

"Hey, mate. How ya feeling?" Hatter asked as he came over to his side, his voice pitched low to avoid disturbing the man in the next bed over.

Raymond blinked, "Like I was stabbed."

Hatter smirked, "Aside from all that?"

The tall man gave a feeble smile, "I'm feeling very glad that you found me. The…" he caught himself, glancing over at the thin cloth divider, "_Jack_ asked me not to interfere with you or Alice, but I have been keeping an eye on you. I'd decided I had to contact you anyway. I need your help, and I don't know where else to turn."

Hatter and Alice traded a glance, "We have been looking for you, as well," Hatter replied.

Raymond's eyes fluttered closed, the strain of his injuries wearing on him. He struggled to open his eyes and focus on Hatter and Alice, but he hurt, and he was tired, and he really wanted to sleep.

Hatter touched his shoulder, "Hey, we'll let you get some sleep, yeah? Don't go back to your flat. Come see me at my shop when they release ya. Okay? If I'm not in, I can be, quick enough."

Raymond nodded sleepily, "Will."

Hatter took a piece of paper and a pen from the bedside table and wrote _David Hatter_ and then his mobile number in his flowing angular script. "Left me number. Ring me if ya need anything."

Raymond nodded again and waved them off, and Hatter and Alice took that as their sign to go.

* * *

Alice and Hatter had already shelled out more than either one liked in taxi fares that evening, but as blood stained as they both were, they thought the bus were perhaps not the best mode of transportation. At least they were leaving a hospital, so their appearance didn't even raise eyebrows from the cab driver. Hatter had resumed his silence as soon as they left the hospital, and Alice was sick of it. If he didn't come out with it soon, there would be hell to pay.

Alice headed straight to the kitchen to brew tea and pushed Hatter in the direction of the bathroom. She wanted to take as long as she liked in the shower, and she couldn't do that knowing he was waiting to come in. Knowing Hatter, he'd just jump in to join her… or not. She chewed her lip as he hardly reacted to her pushing him towards the bathroom. Ordinarily he never would pass up a chance to flirt, and he _always_ suggested that she join him. He threw his jacket over the back of a chair, and then started unbuttoning his blue and brown paisley shirt. He tossed it in the wash basin, and pulled off his tie. He met her gaze for a moment, and then closed the door in her face.

Alice flinched. What had gotten into him? What was wrong, and why hadn't he told her what was bothering him? She growled to herself and yanked off her clothing. Shut her out, would he? She'd learned from him too well. It was time to beat him at his own game. She stripped off the remainder of her clothing and stood outside the door. She smirked, he'd be helpless against an all out naked assault. She turned the knob. Locked. He'd _locked her out? _She rolled her eyes and grabbed a hairpin. House locks were the easiest thing in the world to open. Not so dramatic as kicking the door down, but it was her apartment, too. She'd like to keep it in one piece.

She popped the lock on the door and stealthily entered the steam filled room. She moved in close to the curtain, catching a glimpse of Hatter in the opening. He stood with his hands flat against the wall, head down, letting the water course down over his head and shoulders. No wonder he hadn't heard her. She entered the enclosure and slid her hands around his waist, molding her front to his back. He started, and Alice suppressed a smile. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd snuck up on him. Hatter stiffened and turned to face her, his eyes angry but his body reacting to her despite of it.

"Tell me why you're angry," she demanded.

His jaw clenched, his hands formed white-knuckled fists at his side for a brief moment before he released them and took her by her shoulders, his hands gentle, "I'm not angry."

She scoffed, "Really?"

He exhaled in frustration, "Okay, I am… but not at you. I'm angry at m'self and… and I'm hurt."

Alice's face clouded in confusion, "Why?"

He looked into her stormy blue eyes. He couldn't lie, he just _couldn't _as much as the truth pained him. "You think I need lookin' after. I know I've mucked things up pretty badly, but I don't need a baby minder, do I? I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe, but I swear, I-"

She cut him off, "You idiot. _That's _what this whole pouting thing has been about?"

"I was _not _pouting."

She raised a disbelieving eyebrow, "Were."

"That's just… I was only…" he sputtered, his voice rising an octave.

"Pouting," she suggested, "And don't be stupid. I asked them to keep an eye on the shop because you can't do it twenty-four seven. No one can. We have a lot of innocent people going in and out of the shop every day, and a little police protection is a good thing. What good is it having cop friends if I can't call in a few favors? Not only that, but it might be seen as a little bit weird that we are not overly concerned with someone coming after us after that bullshit story about the kidnapping. So just put away your hurt feelings," she poked him in the chest with a finger, but then splayed her hand over the slick flesh of his chest, her fingers flexing against his skin in an unconscious expression of the desire that was coiling through her. Her little tactic was a double-edged sword. God, the man was sexy when he was wet. He should come with a warning.

He swallowed hard, feeling a little bit foolish, but he still felt as if he'd become lessened in her eyes, and he _hated _the thought. He already felt as if he didn't deserve her, and if she started thinking the same way…"I-"

Alice pressed a quick kiss to his lips, "Shut that talented mouth of yours. I do not need a keeper, and I _thought _you understood that. Even if we ignore that little tidbit, I trust you Hatter, and I know I'm safer with you than with anyone else in either of our worlds, okay?"

He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes intense, but he did as she asked and kept his mouth shut.

"Okay?" she prompted.

He nodded, "Yeah."

She looked into his dark chocolate brown eyes, his lashes studded with water droplets and reached up to trace the hard line of his strong stubbled jaw. "For the _last _time, I don't need you to protect me."

His lips twitched, the shadow of a smile, "And why do ya think that makes a bit of difference to me, love? _I _need to protect you."

She shook her head. This was one thing that was always a permanent impasse between them. Hatter would never be able to get past it, and though she commanded his respect, and intellectually he knew she was fully capable of taking care of herself, he would always feel the need to watch over her.

"You do… and right now I need something from you."

He looked at her quizzically. Understanding dawned as her hand traced the curve of his tight rear as she pulled him towards her. He gave her a heart stopping crooked grin before he slanted his mouth over hers. He was always happy to oblige a lady in need; he _was _a gentleman, after all.

**TBC**

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A/N: See, I

_**told **_**you I could have cliff-hung ya'll a whole lot worse. Heehee. So… now they have to meet with Raymond and see why he needs their help, and uh oh… Dodo will be coming for them for sure. Eeep. **

**Hope you enjoyed, and please do review and feed my muse? She needs your reviews to survive! **


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, folks. Muse was feeling uninspired, and she is downright obstinate at times. Hope this chapter proves worth the wait… another huge one. Publishing late, but I wanted to get it up. Hope my editing eye was still functional.**

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Chapter 38

Hatter twitched in his sleep, in the first stages of a violent nightmare. It didn't take long for it to escalate into thrashing and choked cries from behind clenched teeth. Even in his sleep he tried to face his fears defiantly. Sweat broke out on his brow as images assaulted him. This dream was one of the bad ones… so real he couldn't break free of it, even when in the back of his mind he knew it wasn't. Alice was _not _screaming in terror and pain as her skin sizzled and her hair burned like a torch. She was _not. _He thought he heard her voice faintly, and struggled to move towards the sound of it.

Alice stroked his forehead, brushing back sweat-damp strands of dark hair from where they had stuck to his skin. This one had been violent enough to wake her. She frowned at the lines of pain and fear etched into his face. She leaned in close, murmured words of reassurance and comfort, but it didn't get through to him. This was a bad one, and it was only getting worse; she'd have to try and wake him. She called his name, knowing that if she called for him, it would bring him out.

Alice's voice broke through the fog in his mind, and he woke with a start. He sat straight up in the bed, looking around frantically to assure himself that what he'd seen had been just a dream.

"Nightmare," Alice said softly, her arms coming around him.

He heaved a sigh of relief and passed a hand over his face, "So real…" he rasped, "Fire, and you were…" he broke off, shaking his head. He pulled Alice in close to him and just held her there.

Usually, her presence calmed him to the point were he could sink back into sleep, but this time it wasn't working. He looked over at the clock, four in the morning. He'd likely not get back to sleep after that. He kissed her cheek and heaved himself out of bed and padded to the small window, unlocked it and pushed the window open. The cool air felt good to his damp skin. He closed his eyes and wondered if he'd always feel this way. Perpetually worried that something would happen to his Alice, chased by nightmares… nearly every night since they'd come home. He was surprised Alice hadn't tossed him out of bed by now. She walked over to where he was stood by the window and wrapped an arm around his waist, silently giving him what reassurance she could.

They both jumped as they heard the faint sound of shattering glass from the shop below, the sound clearer and sharper than it should have been thanks to the open bedroom window and the quiet of the early morning hour. If they hadn't have been awake, they'd have probably never heard it. Hatter growled and hurried to dress so he could go investigate. He pulled on the pair of soft blue jeans he'd left draped over the back of the chair and stepped into his boots. Alice was hurriedly dressing beside him; he briefly entertained the thought of trying to get her to stay behind, but he figured that would be pointless. Still, he'd try. He slipped his arms through the sleeves of the silk shirt he'd discarded earlier that evening, but didn't bother with doing up the buttons. He grabbed the sword resting in the corner and turned to Alice.

"Stay here… I'm gonna go check it out, yeah?"

Alice snorted, "Right. I'll be right behind you."

Hatter rolled his eyes but held out his hand for her, "Stay close."

Alice nodded and followed her fiancé down the stairs. They exchanged a horrified look as they smelled the distinct odor of smoke in the air and quickened their pace. Hatter slammed the door open to the alleyway, sword held low guard, but ready. The hair on the nape of his neck prickled; he held his hand out behind him to caution Alice to wait whilst he had a look. He narrowed his eyes and stalked across the short distance down the alley and around the corner. Alice fell in behind him, but gave him enough of a lead so that he could warn her if need be.

The smell of smoke grew stronger, and now he could see it wafting from the building. _His _building. His jaw dropped as he beheld his beloved tea shop in flames.

"No!" he shouted, a thousand horrors flashing before his eyes.

Alice came around the corner, "Oh my god. Oh my god! We've got to call the fire department!" It was just a small fire yet; if she could call in time, they could save the tea shop… their home.

Hatter nodded numbly, her words not registering until he saw her race back towards the alley. Images from his nightmare ripped through him. What the hell was she thinking? The building was on _fire _and she was running _into _it. He tore off after Alice as she ran back towards their flat to grab her phone. The fire was spreading from the front room, and though their flat was primarily over the storerooms in the back of the shop, he was terrified that Alice would become trapped inside. The memories from his nightmare were still fresh in his mind; sheer unadulterated panic sped him towards her as his heart threatened to beat completely out of his chest He could not let her go back in.

"Alice! Stop!" he shouted.

She turned to look at him, pausing with her hand on the door to their stairwell. Her eyes widened suddenly as she pointed behind him, "Hatter!" she cried in warning. He turned just as the shot rang out; a lance of white hot pain streaked across his right shoulder.

"Down!" he screamed as he dove to the ground. "Behind the skip, Alice."

Hatter scrambled to join her behind the large trash bin as another shot rang out. He wished he still had his little gun. Swords were not terribly useful when someone was shooting at you, even large magical ones. He clamped a hand over the wound on his shoulder, attempting to slow the flow of blood. He didn't have _time _for this. He popped his head out to try to see who the gunman was and narrowly missed getting caught by another bullet.

"It's Dodo," Alice said angrily.

Hatter cursed sulfurously. He'd been so certain he could handle anything the man threw at them. He couldn't believe he'd been so completely _wrong. _Dodo had set fire to his tea shop… his _home. _He'd forced them out in the middle of the night, taken advantage of one of the few things that truly terrified Hatter, fire. Whether Dodo had found out about it, or had just used it by chance didn't matter. The end effect was the same; Alice and Hatter were trapped in the alley, and Dodo was trying his hardest to kill him. It would be mere moments before he simply walked behind the skip and shot them both, point blank.

Hatter thought furiously, forcing back the terror. There had to be a way out. He recalled everything he knew of Dodo, searching for a weakness. He drew in a deep breath and deliberately slowed his breathing, hoping his pounding heart would follow suit. He had it. Dodo loved the sound of his own voice. If he could distract him, perhaps he could get the sword into his guts before Dodo shot him… again.

"Why are ya doin' this, Dodo? I've never done you any harm," Hatter called out.

The footsteps stalled. Good. This might work.

"_You! _You are a worthless criminal, and yet the whole of Wonderland thinks you and your Oyster are bloody heroes. _I _dedicated my _entire life _to freeing my people from the tyranny of the Heart's rule, and what thanks was I given? _I _worked for it, sacrificed… while you did what you have always done… you STOLE!" Dodo ranted.

Dodo wanted Hatter to understand why he was going to die. He wanted him to realize that all he'd _stolen_ was burning to the ground in front of him. Dodo's plan to use Ryan to fleece Hatter, ruin his business, discredit his name, and then kill him slowly (with the potential addition of watching Alice dismembered in front of him) may not have come to fruition, but he found that that meant little to him now. He'd thought he'd been robbed of the chance to kill him himself, and he was not about to let anything stand in his way this time. It had been yet another thing that had been stolen from him. _Stealing, taking… he'd make them all pay. _

Now that he knew he had Hatter in his grasp, he'd be happy to settle for a mere taste of what he'd originally had planned for the leech. He wanted to drink up his fear. He'd kill the girl first whilst he made Hatter watch. Pity he had not the time to do it properly… no help for it. He wanted this done. The cocky little man had always acted as if nothing scared him… unless he was staring down the barrel of a gun. He'd make him beg first. He'd beg for the girl's life… he was sure of it, and then he'd stick the barrel of the gun in his mouth, and he'd shoot. No more leech.

Hatter turned to Alice, scared to death to ask her to take part in this. She was strong, capable and intelligent, and he believed in her, but he was deliberately sending her into danger… something he'd promised he'd never do. He didn't have another choice. Dodo meant to kill them. He explained his plan to Alice, and then gave her a brief fierce kiss before sending her to do her part.

Hatter chose his words deliberately; they'd sting all the more because they were true. He wanted to keep Dodo talking as much as he was able to, and to make him so angry that he failed to pay attention to what was happening around him.

"I _earned _it," Hatter replied scornfully. "Alice took down the Queen, not you. You hid, like ya always have, letting others do the dirty work whilst you played martyr. _I _fed the refugees, not you. _I _had to lick the boots of the crown to keep them safe whilst you presided over them like a fat buzzard, taking triple their share. You did _nothin' _for our people. You deserve nothin'."

Alice blinked away the tears rising in her eyes and steeled herself for what was to come. Hatter had kissed her as if it might be the last time, and in her mind they'd had to do that far too many times. Alice slipped around behind the dumpster, moving as silently as she was able. There was one chance for them. Hatter would keep him talking and Alice would have to get the gun away, or they would die. It was as simple as that.

Dodo was moving closer, his pace slow and deliberate as if he expected them to try something. She'd have to time this perfectly; the moment he rounded the corner and realized she was no longer next to Hatter the jig would be up. He'd fire the pistol directly into Hatter's brain, and then he'd do the same to her. She had no illusions that he'd be reluctant to kill someone. He'd proven that he was completely unencumbered by conscience the first time she'd met him.

Dodo's face contorted into a mask of rage, "How _dare _you! As much as I would have rather taken everything you had first, I'm willing to forgo that pleasure just to finally be rid of you and your little tart. I'm going to enjoy killing you," he growled as he rounded the corner, bringing the gun up to bear.

Alice moved, seeing her perfect moment as the gun wavered. Adrenaline surged through her veins, slowing everything around her as if she was watching it happen frame by frame. She wrenched the gun up with both hands as she executed a vicious kick to Dodo's knee. He squeezed off a shot, but she'd pointed it away from them. Hatter was on him in a flash, his Guardian's sword pressed against Dodo's jugular.

"The gun, Alice."

She picked it up in shaking hands, staring in horror at Hatter's blood soaked shirt. He'd assured her that the bullet had merely winged him, but what had started as a small circle of blood had continued to flow while she had crept around behind the dumpster. Hatter's face was pale, but his dark eyes were hard as he looked down upon Dodo, and his arm was steady.

"What have you done with the Stone?"

Dodo laughed, though he was obviously in pain. Alice had likely dislocated his knee, he'd not be running away. "I'm not going to tell you. Ever."

Hatter growled, "Then I might as well kill ya."

"Do it. Then not only will you have lost your home and your shop, but your girlfriend as well. Look at her. You think she fancies marrying a murderer? She doesn't know how bloody your hands are already, does she? She doesn't know what sort of lowlife traitorous scum you really are. Have you told her?"

Alice chambered a round and leveled the gun at his head as her answer. Hatter glanced at her, noted the cold practical steel behind her blue eyes. Alice was angry; Dodo had said precisely the wrong thing.

Hatter smirked as he pressed the edge of the sword to Dodo's throat hard enough to draw a bead of red, "You just tried to kill us, and if she hadn't taken your gun away, you would have done. Do I look as if I'm bothered at the prospect of killing ya?" He quirked an eyebrow, "Does _she?"_

"What's stopping you?" Dodo's throat bobbed as he swallowed, a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, belying his words.

Hatter narrowed his eyes, "Tell me where you've hidden the ring, and I'll let you live."

Dodo bared his teeth in a feral grin, "If I tell you where it is, then you'll have no reason to keep me alive. By the way, your shop is on fire. If you don't see to that, you'll have nothing left at all," he gritted out, the pain beginning to take its toll.

Hatter's eyes flicked to Alice, "Go make the call, love. He's going nowhere."

Alice looked at Hatter; he was calm and cool, though she could see the outraged fury under the surface. He had it under control. His clammy pale skin was what had her worried. It made her question the wisdom of leaving him alone with Dodo, even for a moment. By contrast, Dodo gave off crazy vibes in _spades. _Dodo's wide eyes darted left and right, a glassy sheen to them that made her wonder exactly what he was actually seeing. He had to be in agony from the dislocated knee. Hatter was right. He couldn't run away.

Hatter straightened, keeping the blade aimed at Dodo's throat. Alice offered him the gun. Nodding his thanks, Hatter set the blade aside in favor of the pistol. The weight of the sword was difficult to bear one handed in his current condition, and fast though he was, Dodo was not faster than a bullet. He clamped his free hand back over his shoulder to try to staunch the bleeding. He hoped Alice hurried; his vision was tunneling and narrowing, and it was through sheer willpower that he was still stood upright. He let none of it show in his face, but he couldn't keep up the charade for long.

Dodo smiled evilly, "You can't get the answer from me if I'm imprisoned. What _will_ you do with me when the authorities arrive? Best let me go now."

Hatter backed up a step to rest his back against the skip. Dodo was right about one thing, the situation was less than ideal.

He could kill Dodo in this alley and hope he could find the Stone on his own… yet another person to add to his body count. Despite how despicable he found Dodo, he did not want to shoot an unarmed man lying helpless at his feet. Well, to be honest he sort of _did_… but no. Not an option. He could let the authorities take him, and possibly find the Stone on his own whilst Dodo rotted in jail. That option _did_ have its appeal, its main detraction being the fact that eventually Dodo would be released, and then he'd have to deal with him again. Or he could let him go, as Dodo had suggested, so that he could track him down later. If he got lucky, he could capture him and make him talk. If he was unlucky, well… problem with that was he might possibly hurt someone else meanwhile, or do this type of stunt again. He could hurt Alice, or someone from the dojo, or Carol. No. Not a good option. If his home and business weren't burning he'd have a whole hell of a lot more choices. He'd tie the bastard up and get the information from him however he could, and then send the sorry sod back through the mirror with Raymond, bound and gagged. _Damn it. _He had his decision, as little as he liked it. This was _all _he needed, more involvement with the police.

Hatter narrowed his eyes, "I'm gonna let 'em take you. I'll take me chances finding the ring on my own."

Dodo raised an eyebrow, "I'll get free, and then I'll come for you and the girl. You _will_ get your due justice for all you've done. I am the LAW. I'll rip her heart out right in front of you-"

Hatter's right hand burned, fury dropped a veil of red mist before his eyes. He felt his finger tightening on the trigger. He stopped himself, just in time. He tossed the gun away, grabbed Dodo's throat with his blood-covered left hand and Dodo's dislocated knee with his right. He may not want to kill an unarmed man, but he could bloody well torture the bastard. He squeezed his right hand slowly until Dodo had to bite back a cry of pain, holding him fast with his left.

Hatter brought his face close to Dodo's and growled, "If you ever lay a hand on Alice, I will strangle you with your own intestines." He stared into Dodo's eyes, letting him see the weight of truth in his words. He'd meant it. If he hurt Alice, his life was forfeit. "Now tell me where you've hidden the Stone."

"No."

Hatter squeezed harder on the dislocated knee, wishing absently that he'd put some effort into figuring out how to re-direct his sledgehammer punch into grip strength. He'd mistakenly thought the need for such things were well behind him. Dodo screamed from behind clenched teeth. Hatter kept the pressure on until he'd ripped a full throated cry of agony from him. He was short on time… he'd do well to get to the point quickly.

"Tell me."

"Never! You had best kill me Hatter, because I'll not hesi-"

Hatter compressed the shattered joint again, cutting off his words, "Shut up. The next words out of your mouth will be the location of the Stone. It's the only way to make the pain go away."

He squeezed, heard the joint pop under his hand, watched mercilessly as Dodo writhed and flailed to try to break free. Hatter held him fast, ignoring his own body's demands. The police would be coming, and this was his only chance. If he couldn't get the information from him this way, he likely never would. So be it. That simplified his choices.

"Mine. It's mine and you… will… _never_… have… it!" Dodo gritted out.

Alice came around the corner, took one look at Hatter and swallowed hard. Hatter's pallid face was frozen in a mask of hate. He looked as if he was a hairsbreadth away from snapping Dodo's neck. He growled something too low for her to hear and squeezed Dodo's knee hard enough for her to see the wiry cords of muscle stand out in stark relief on his forearm. Dodo's painful scream was sickening. She had to pull her Hatter back before she lost him.

She rescued the sword from where he'd propped it against the alley wall and stood above Hatter.

"Sit down. I've got him" she commanded, touching his uninjured shoulder. "Help is already on the way. The convenience store across from us called it in. The cashier saw it happen, and they said they owed us." She narrowed her eyes at Dodo, "They saw _everything. _And they're happy to make a statement for the police."

Hatter blinked, then looked between Alice and Dodo. His eyes slowly cleared and he nodded. He heard the sirens coming closer; he'd run out of time. They had to find the ring on their own. He drew in a deep shuddering breath and squeezed his eyes shut, warring with himself and his urge to beat the smile from Dodo's smug face. As if on cue, the fire department, police and ambulance all arrived on scene. They'd been quick… Alice and Hatter had been out of the flat less than five minutes. It seemed like an eternity.

Hatter tried to stand to go to meet them and abruptly fell to his knees. Nausea twisted his belly, and the tunnels around his vision were narrowing. He decided to stay down and wait for the medics. He laughed wryly… _as if it had been a choice. _The paramedics bade him to sit down on a narrow cot, and then lie back. It seemed as if it was the best suggestion he'd heard all day. He had a brief moment of panic when he lost sight of Alice as they wheeled him to the waiting ambulance, but she rushed to his side despite the policeman attempting to take a statement from her. He stretched out his hand for Alice, and she was there.

Hatter closed his eyes and let the paramedics do their job. He was sorry he had to leave the explanations to Alice, but he was having a hard time focusing. He'd surely muck it up if he tried. Best to keep his mouth shut. He winced as the paramedics tore the sleeve of one of his favorite silk shirts to gain access to the wound and then began packing it with bandages. He wasn't sure which hurt more. He really liked that shirt.

Assured that Hatter was in good hands, Alice made the paramedics promise not to leave without her and then went to check on the state of the fire.

She eyed the tea shop sadly. The fire department had extinguished the flames, although there was a lot of damage. Lucky for them, the amateur Molotov cocktail Dodo had thrown into the building had landed on the ceramic tile, not the wooden portion of the floor. The tables had been pushed back out of the way in preparation for deep cleaning the floors, and they had only sustained damage to one wall, the glass storefront, the floor, and of course the inventory was likely damaged from the smoke and/or the water. At least they had insurance, but it was enough to make her want to cry.

They let her go inside her apartment with an escort to store the sword and retrieve her phone, money and identification for them both. The flat was untouched, but the odor of smoke permeated everything. Alice was broken out of her contemplation when she heard Hatter shouting her name from inside the ambulance. She sprinted down the stairs and back to him, her heart in her throat. Hatter was being held down by three uniformed men. Two paramedics held down his arms while a cop lay across his legs. He flexed against their grip hard enough to where she knew he'd have bruises. They had him, but she was afraid he'd hurt himself if he didn't stop.

"Hatter!" Alice called out, "Stop fighting, they're helping you." She moved in close enough to see him, hoping she could get his attention. They wouldn't let her get any closer. "Hatter, it's Alice. Look at me."

His dark eyes opened wide, panicked. She saw him mouth her name, and then visibly shake himself. As soon as he saw her he began to calm down.

Hatter let his muscles go limp, "Sorry… got confused. Thought Alice was… M'sorry."

"What happened?" Alice asked, shaking off the uniformed man that had held her back and clambering inside the ambulance. She saw the paramedic glance at their matching rings and she let him assume what he would, as long as they let her go to him.

The paramedic grimaced, "I take it your name is Alice, ma'am?"

She nodded, waiting for her explanation.

The paramedic busied himself with checking Hatter's bandage and straightening out his gear, "Well, he was fine when you left, if a little disoriented. I told him I was going to give him a shot of painkiller in his IV, he saw the needle and he flipped. I thought I was going to be able to talk him down, but he wasn't having it. He kept asking for you, and when I told him you weren't here, he went crazy. Ripped out his IV… I was about to give him a tranquilizer when you showed up."

"He's got a thing about needles. He'll be okay now," she explained, meeting Hatter's gaze.

Hatter tried for a smirk and nodded, "Yeah. As long as Alice here holds me hand as ya do it, eh?"

The paramedic grinned, though he didn't lose the nervous edge, "We'll even give you a Spongebob band-aid, Rambo. Are you ready for me to re-do your IV?"

"Don't feel so well…" Hatter muttered.

Alice took his hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it, "I wonder why," she groused.

"He's lost some blood, and he's in pain. We'll get some fluids into him and stitch him up. He probably won't need a transfusion… do you know his blood type?"

"Hate hospitals," Hatter grumbled weakly as the needle slid into his vein.

The paramedic snorted, "From the looks of you, buddy, you've seen a few."

Hatter grunted his acknowledgement. He didn't want to talk, and the movement of the vehicle was making him ill. He concentrated on the feel of Alice's hand in his, her soft hand on his hair, and tried not to think what he was going to do with no home, no shop, no Stone, and no Dodo. At least he had his Alice... that was all that truly mattered.

TBC

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A/N: Well? I hope you liked. Please review and feed starving muses? Happy, well fed muses write faster. Proven fact.

**Poor Hatter, eh? Things are looking a bit grim for out brave couple… I wonder what **_**else **_**could happen. *grins***


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Finally, eh? Very much hope you like this... tone is quite different. *bites nails* My poor downtrodden muse was digging in her heels on this one, but I hope ya'll like this chapter. The end is very nigh… very nigh indeed. Also, I want to thank all of you that have taken a second to review! It helps keep me going!**

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Chapter 39

Hatter thought that if anyone else told him he was a lucky man, he might shoot them. His shoulder throbbed, his shop had gone down in flames, and he still had yet to find the Stone of Wonderland. About the only thing that made him feel the least little bit lucky was that his Alice was sat beside him, holding his hand and they were about to leave. He _had _only needed five stitches; the bullet had barely grazed him. It had been just deep enough to piss blood everywhere, and if his shirt hadn't have been ruined by the bullet, it most definitely had been by all the blood, but despite the close shave he certainly didn't feel lucky. No. That was not the word for it, contrary to the police detective's words. At least Alice had done well with the preliminaries of the story she'd fed them. She was a quick study. Hatter thought their story was utter rubbish, but since they were the victims, what were the police to say? To say that the local police were suspicious would be the understatement of the century.

Alice's mum had offered to let them stay at her place for the night, and as awkward as that would be, it might be best until the smell of smoke filtered out of their building somewhat. Alice had accepted her offer; she had cast a concerned glance in his direction as she did so, but she needn't have worried. The last thing he wanted to see after tonight was his shop in ruins and breathe in the scent of destruction all night long. He would rather stay elsewhere for one evening and pretend that he could put it from his mind for a little while. He held Alice to him on the taxi ride to Carol's home, avoiding looking out the windows. He was tired and sore, and angry that he'd been forced out of his own bed… his _home. _He should have killed Dodo, he grumbled to himself.

He supposed he should be thankful that Carol hadn't been awake when they came into her flat. He was not about to sleep away from Alice after the night they had, and he'd really rather not have it out with Carol if the subject had come up. They entered as quietly as they could and secured Carol's multitude of locks behind them. Luckily Alice still had a few articles of clothing stowed away to include a pair of baggy sweatpants that Hatter could easily fit into. They were a bit short, but he was so slim that they were still comfortable enough. Alice couldn't complain… especially when he turned around and she got a rear view.

Hatter stretched out along the length of her bed, his uninjured arm pillowed underneath his head, and watched with half-lidded eyes as Alice rummaged for something to wear to bed. She found a t-shirt for her to sleep in, not one of her usual oversized nightgown length ones, but it was better than sleeping in her clothes. She was afraid her mother would walk in on them in the morning, and she'd said she would die of embarrassment if she were not wearing _something. _Hatter had smirked at that, but wisely kept his mouth shut. She flitted around the room, went to get a glass of water, started straightening items on the dresser.

He allowed his eyes to roam down her body, lingering on her exposed legs, "Come to bed, Alice."

She realized she'd been stalling, gave a wry smile and crawled inside the covers. If her mom didn't approve, she shouldn't have offered to put them up for the night. Her place was next to Hatter, and that was that. "How's the shoulder?" she asked.

He gave a short laugh, "Hurts. Have had worse, hadn't I?"

She turned out the light and snuggled in beside him, "You have. At least you didn't have to stay overnight."

Hatter snorted, "That was not happening. It's not as if the bullet went into me… honestly it was not that big of a deal."

"Trust me, Hatter. Getting shot is _always _a big deal," Alice replied, her voice flat.

Hatter made a small noise of disagreement, but dropped the subject. "So, if I make breakfast in the morning you'll not threaten to toss me out, will ya?"

Alice laughed, "No."

"I'm just askin', cause last time…"

Alice smacked him lightly on his chest. Hatter chuckled and pulled her close. After a few moment's pause he continued, "I'm glad you're not scared of us anymore."

"Not in the least," Alice agreed.

It was the absolute truth; she didn't feel even the slightest flutter of fear. Quite the opposite, actually. She could no longer imagine her life without him. _That _thought terrified her, and his easy dismissal of what was inches away from being a fatal wound certainly didn't reassure her any. She sighed deeply, the events of the evening weighing heavily on her.

"What's the matter?" he asked quietly, sensing her turn in mood.

She didn't want to bring it up. She didn't want to talk about it, "Nothing… just…"

Hatter waited for her to finish, knowing she would if he'd not press.

"Is it always going to be like this with us? One horrible thing after another? It seems like every time we have something going well for us, you get hurt, or I get kidnapped-"

"Was me this time, love," Hatter countered.

She sighed, not taking the opportunity to lighten the mood as had been his intent, "You know what I mean."

Hatter cleared his throat, but didn't speak. After a long minute he answered, "I'm sorry."

"No! No, that's not what I meant at all. I just wish that life didn't have to always be so hard for us," Alice hurried to explain.

Hatter scoffed, "Alice, as long as I've got you, nothin' is all that hard, okay? We'll get through this, like we do everything, won't we? Damage in the shop isn't that serious, our flat is fine, and Dodo is safely banged up." He stroked his hand through her hair, hoping that his touch calmed her as much as her touch calmed him.

"Yeah," She turned her head up to kiss his stubbled jaw, "You're right… this time," she groused. She smiled to herself, "This is a little bit different than the first time you stayed the night."

He hummed his agreement, smiled wickedly and ran his hand up her thigh, "Yep. Now you'll let me do _this_."

She stilled his hand, "Not when my mom is home!"

Hatter traced circles on her thigh with his fingertips, "Of course not, love," he murmured in her ear, his voice pitched low.

"No. I _mean_ it. Don't try that low sexy voice with me," Alice admonished.

He chuckled, brushed his lips over her earlobe, and proceeded to tell her exactly what he wanted to do to her. Alice found her reluctance fading with every word.

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Alice smelled bacon cooking when she woke up that morning. She smiled, anticipating one of Hatter's delicious breakfasts. She hoped her mother wouldn't be offended at being kicked out of her own kitchen. She pulled on a spare pair of gi pants, wandered into the kitchen and stopped cold. Her mother and Hatter were both cooking breakfast; he was manning the eggs while her mom was cooking the bacon. She was certain there was toast involved, and probably beans for Hatter. She'd never been able to stomach beans at breakfast, but he loved them.

Hatter was telling her mother some sort of funny story while gastrulating wildly with his spatula. Her mother was grinning back at him fondly, warm affection plain to see on her face. More than that, Hatter was still shirtless and barefoot, wearing only a pair of her borrowed sweatpants riding low on his hips, and her mom was acting as if she didn't even notice the scars crisscrossing his body. He had always been self-conscious of them before, although he tried to act as if he wasn't, especially around her mother. Yet here he was, as comfortable around her mother as he was around her.

Hatter's dark chocolate eyes locked on hers as soon as she entered the room; it was as if he could sense her presence. It had always unnerved her how he managed that, but it made it much more fun when she _did _surprise him.

He gave her a cheerful crooked grin, "Mornin', love. Your mum and I were just putting together a proper breakfast. Tea?"

Alice smiled, her heart warming with the sure knowledge that her mother truly _liked_ Hatter. "We have tea? I didn't know you'd brought any over."

Carol lifted an eyebrow, "He didn't. I bought some."

Hatter turned to her, "You know, you never have to _buy _tea. Just tell us what ya fancy, and it's yours." His smile faltered a little, "That is, when we have tea again. Not sure how well it fared." He tried to regain his good cheer, determined not to sink into the despair threatening to swamp him every time he started thinking about what had happened the night previous. "The lapsang souchong should fare alright," he joked, "It's smoked tea after all."

Alice found a smile for him, intuitively understanding that it was what he needed from her. She sat at the table, "It smells delicious. I can't wait."

The three of them were sat around the table, all of them neatly skirting the topic of what had been done to Alice and Hatter's home and business while they ate. Carol knew neither of them would feel much like eating if they started speaking of it. Hatter and Alice both had dark rings under their eyes, and Hatter was still far too pale. Alice said he hadn't needed a transfusion, thankfully, just stitches, but he'd had to sit down for a moment while they'd been cooking that morning, and he'd carefully avoided moving his injured shoulder. Carol worried for him; he took on far too much at times. He was a good man with a good heart, and he made her daughter very happy. Granted, it had taken her some time to see it that way, but Alice hadn't had the best track record with men in the past. It seemed like she chased the good ones away as soon as they got close. Jack had been the first man that she'd ever formally introduced to her, and _that _had been a major step, and Alice had only been willing to say that she _liked _Jack.

She truly hadn't expected Hatter to be any different from the rest. If anything, she had been expecting worse considering Alice was on the rebound from Jack. She'd read Hatter as a man set on taking advantage of a young woman… a user. When she'd seen the scars on his body and heard a little of the story of his dangerous youth, she'd been even more convinced. Kids that grew up hard like that learned to survive by any means necessary, usually by using others. More often than not, that habit continued into adulthood, if they survived that long. Alice had argued against that theory long and hard, but Carol had felt she had the years of long experience to back her.

Hatter was the first man that Alice had truly fallen for, and she'd fallen quickly and hard. To Carol, it seemed suspect that her practical relationship-phobic daughter had suddenly fallen head over heels for a fast-talking handsome British stranger with a roguish air and a devastating smile. Something about their relationship threw up all sorts of red flags. She had suspected Hatter was not being entirely honest about himself, _or _his reason for all the interest in Alice. There was something about how he held himself that Carol read as dangerous, and she'd feared for Alice in more ways than just her heart.

Carol had been both right and wrong about him, and knowing the truth, she didn't even blame them for lying about it. Who would believe such a thing? She was still wondering exactly why she believed it herself, but Hatter had given her proof of a sort… and anyone that spent any amount of time with him could see that there were things about him that were decidedly peculiar. Watching them together now, she certainly had never expected the deep love that had grown between them. Knowing Hatter, she understood what drew Alice to him... it was his beautiful fierce heart. She had grown to love him like a son; and she suspected that he needed a mother's love. He'd been without it for a very long time… as a matter of fact, she suspected he'd been without love of any sort for a very long time. Looking at Alice and Hatter together, she imagined he'd never be without it again.

After they'd finished their breakfast, there were unable to put off facing the massive amount of work that lay ahead of them any longer. Hatter's shirt was destroyed, so he appropriated Alice's t-shirt that she'd slept in. It was too tight, and it pulled uncomfortably on his injured shoulder, but he'd not had another option. On the positive, it smelled of Alice… he hoped he'd not have a raging hard-on all day because of it. His jeans were dirty yet serviceable, and looking critically in the mirror, aside from his lack of hat, he looked good enough for a day of salvage and cleaning. He'd change shirts once he put some clothes through the wash. He hoped the smoke hadn't damaged any of them permanently. Carol bid them goodbye, and promised she'd stop in after work to lend a hand with the clean up.

Hatter tucked Alice in under his arm as they walked towards the tea shop. He hated the thought of what waited for them there. Neither one of them spoke as they made the short journey, instead just taking comfort in the other's presence. They traded a confused glance and quickened their step as they drew close enough to see their shop. He had expected to see a desolate burned out storefront, instead they saw a flurry of activity. People were everywhere, cleaning, sorting… following direction from a petite brunette in a very familiar Vivandiere hat and her giant bear of a husband. Erica and Dennis.

They hurried to intercept their friends; as they drew closer they spotted Missy Delmonico, James Waverly, previous owner and now store manager, a few neighbors and some of their friends from the dojo. The front window that had been broken out for the second time that year had miraculously been replaced, and Missy had painted the interior of the glass with a Salvatore Dali-esqe teacup landscape and _Specialty Teas and Imports _in beautiful flowing script. The walls had been scrubbed, and if the plastic tarps laid out on the floor was any indication, they were ready to be re-painted.

Erica flounced over, grinning from ear to ear, "Well?"

"What is? What are they… I don't… Why?" Hatter stuttered, for once at a complete loss of words.

He looked to Alice helplessly, unsure how to process this. Emotions flowed over his face like water, too many too quickly for her to read. He ran his hand through his hair, further disheveling his already wildly messy mop. Alice knew he was missing his hat in that moment; he was flustered and needed an outlet. She was touched and stunned and amazed that their friends and neighbors would do this for them and she could only imagine how Hatter must be feeling. This display of warm generosity was possibly more foreign to him than anything else he'd faced in her world.

Erica took pity on him and reached up to hug both Alice and Hatter tightly, "Because you are our friends, and this neighborhood owes you a great debt of thanks. These people know what you have gone through. They want to help… so I let them. Some gave money, some gave supplies, and some gave their time."

"They don't hardly know me," Hatter protested as he detangled himself from Erica's hug. He had to blink back the moisture rising in his eyes. Since his parents died and left him alone, no one had ever done an unselfish thing for him… until he'd met Alice. She'd been the first, and coming back for him when she should have left him to Dodo was a big thing. Ever since then, his life had taken a drastic turn. No more with the lies and deceptions, no more with looking the other way, and when Alice was concerned, no more common sense or sense of self-preservation.

He was _happy, _and it had been so long since he felt that way he'd almost forgotten how it felt. She made him feel other forgotten things as well, like _love _and _trust, belonging _and_ comfort _and_ home _and_ family _and the fact that people could be _good. _He couldn't imagine Wonderlanders ever so much as _thinking _of putting forward a kindness of this magnitude. He was well and truly overwhelmed. It seemed like his life had just kept getting better and better… well, amongst all the bad things, that was. Still, it was a good life.

Alice watched his dark chocolate eyes shine with unshed tears, saw him struggle to come to grips with the thought that people would do this sort of thing for one another. He nodded finally and smiled… his vulnerable heart showing through plain as day when he usually took pains to hide it.

Everyone had stopped working and turned to watch, so he cleared his throat and tried to speak. His voice failed him on the first try, but what he wanted to say needed saying. "Thank you for this… it means more than you know. Me and Alice, we-" his voice cracked, choked with emotion.

Alice took over, "We could have never done this much alone. Thank you."

Smiles broke out, nods and words of acknowledgement, and then they went back to work. Erica reached into her back pocket, pulled out an envelope and passed it to Alice, "This is from the dry cleaners up the road."

Bemused, Alice ripped the seal and read the card inside. The couple that owned the store were frequent customers because Hatter stocked obscure eastern teas of their native land. They didn't speak very clear English, although they understood it perfectly… well, they understood _Alice _perfectly. Hatter… not so much.

_We can get out any stain and smoke smell. Bring your clothes and we will clean them. No charge._

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed. Hatter would be thrilled. She knew he'd been worried about his clothes, though he hadn't voiced it.

She showed the card to Hatter and he shook his head in astonishment, "This is real, in't it?"

Alice grinned, "Yeah. It is. Okay… let's get to work. We still have plenty to do."

Hatter grinned back, his heart a hundred times lighter than it had been earlier in the morning, "Of course, love."

**TBC**

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A/N: So yes, they are doing a lot of reminiscing about how far they've come… and rightly so. I wanted a sweet, feel-good chapter. Success? You tell me. *grins* Please? Feed the starving muse so she may write for you?

**Missing Reel for this chapter is titled "Sorted" and can be found here: www. fanfiction. net/s/6786838/1/Sorted_A_Forever_Missing_Reel (just take out the spaces)**


	40. Chapter 40

**Minor edit 16 Mar 11... Had to clarify some things**

**A/N: Sneaky, snakey, tricksy, twisty me. Hee! I hope you enjoy this, and I can't tell you how nervous I am for it. Eep. Ah, anyway… thanks for reading!**

**Oh, Missing Reel for last chapter is titled "Sorted" and can be found here: www. fanfiction. net/s/6786838/1/Sorted_A_Forever_Missing_Reel (just take out the spaces)**

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Chapter 40

It was dirty work, but Alice and Hatter managed it with smiles on their faces thanks to the unexpected generosity of their friends and neighbors. One by one, the crew of helpers left, but so much had been accomplished with their assistance that they would be nearly ready to open again in a couple of days. The careful inventory of the tea stock and the tedious process of reordering what was needed would take at least a day in and of itself, but most of the manual labor was done. Hatter used air-tight storage containers for the larger quantities he kept in the back room, but he said that it was no guarantee that some of the more delicate varieties remained undamaged. The teas stored in the glass display bins out front were useless, as was any perishable food items that had been in the shop. Luckily, they had their pastries delivered fresh daily.

Hatter stood up and stretched. Alice couldn't help but to admire the long lean lines of his body from the corner of her eye. The tight t-shirt didn't leave much to the imagination. She loved his taut body nearly as much as his handsome face and devastating dimpled grin. She was a lucky girl.

"Sore," Hatter complained, "I want to sleep in me own bed tonight. No offence to your mum, but…"

Alice laughed and wrapped her arms around his narrow waist, "I _said _I was sorry about this," she said, sliding her hands up under his t-shirt and tracing the furrows she'd made in his back the night prior. She'd been trying to be quiet, but she had to let it out _somehow_.

He pressed a kiss to her hair, then tilted her chin up so he could look into her stormy blue eyes, "I didn't mind. It was very… intense." He closed the distance between them, brushed his lips over hers in a soft kiss, traced the seam of her mouth with the tip of his tongue and gently nipped at her lower lip. He growled softly as he broke it off, "And tonight, love, you can be as loud as you like."

Alice twined her fingers through his thick dark hair and gave him a teasing smile, "You're not terribly quiet yourself, you know."

He chuckled as he nuzzled her neck, "Can't help it." She felt his lips form a smile against her skin, "Don't want to."

Alice pushed against his chest to separate them, "We have a lot of work to do if we are going to sleep in our own bed tonight," she reminded him.

His lips twisted in a wry smile, "You're not just telling me no to prove to yourself that ya can, are ya?"

She looked at him sharply; his dark chocolate eyes met hers, waiting for her answer. She swore he could look right into her soul sometimes. He hadn't brought up last night before then… she should have known better than to expect he'd let it go without comment.

"Ya know, Alice… I can't tell you no. Never have been able to, have I?" he said, his voice oddly gentle.

Alice gave him a small smile, "No, I'm not going to…" she saw that he realized what she meant by it. Not now, not ever again. "But we _do _have a lot to do."

Hatter gave her a broad crooked smile, "Point conceded. But we'll continue this later, yeah?" He rolled his hips against hers in invitation.

She wrinkled her nose, "Definitely… _after _you've had a shower."

He laughed, kissed her on the tip of her nose and released her, "Deal."

The divide and conquer method seemed to be the best bet to ensure that work continued on the tea shop whilst they made their flat habitable once again. Neither one of them wanted to be forced out of their home for longer than absolutely necessary. Hatter would go upstairs to try to air it out as much as possible, strip down linens, and bag up what clothing they were taking to the dry cleaners. He was also to pack up a small amount to take to her mother's for immediate washing. Meanwhile, Alice would begin cataloguing what inventory they had remaining.

They were relieved that the smoke damage wasn't worse than it was. Their flat was fine, but their clothing and bedclothes and such _did _need washing, and they would still have to deal with the lingering odor of smoke. They figured that between the two of them, Hatter was the better choice for choosing which wardrobe items were considered indispensable for the next few days. Alice had teased him that he'd complain if she made the selections for him... and she was probably right.

Alice went to work, quickly becoming fully engrossed in the task at hand whilst Hatter cheerfully tackled the tasks in their flat. He threw open windows, stripped sheets and curtains, and then moved on to clothing. He smiled as he selected only enough clothes for them both to fill a small suitcase to be washed immediately. Alice would never believe how quickly and decisively he could choose clothing when he found it was necessary. The whole of the wardrobe would take the use of someone's car to transport, hopefully Carol would help them out with that when she stopped by later that evening. Until then he'd bag it and take it downstairs.

Hatter was just about to head down with the sacks of clothing and linens when his phone rang. Frowning at the unfamiliar number that showed up on the screen, he answered with a guarded 'hello.' Toby Jones, police detective and someone that Alice used to view as a friend, or at least a friendly associate, not too long ago was on the other line. He and Hatter, on the other hand, had never been the least bit friendly. They hadn't got off to such a good start. Hatter expected Toby to make another demand for him to go down to the station and answer yet another stream of questions that he had to come up with creative responses for, but that wasn't what he got.

The only question Toby asked was why Alice had failed to answer her phone. Hatter knew then that Toby wouldn't have rung him if he'd had another option. He smirked as he informed him that Alice's mobile was dead, and no, she was not nearby for him to speak to her. Toby would have to settle for Hatter. Hatter lost his smirk as Toby related his reason for calling.

Toby explained that Dodo had escaped from the hospital earlier that morning, and his whereabouts were still unknown. Hatter was furious that they hadn't been informed immediately, but he reined in his temper. The last thing they needed was him to make things worse for them. If he'd dealt with the Queen's insanity on one end and Dodo's sarcasm and scathing remarks on the other for as many years as he had, one suspicious police detective shouldn't be enough to get under his skin. He couldn't suppress an irritated inquiry as to how Dodo had managed to escape. The detective admitted that in light of the doctor's assessment that Dodo was heavily drugged and unable to walk, the decision had been made not to waste manpower or police resources. He'd only had one guard. Unfortunately, in this case it had proved inadequate. On the other end of the line, Hatter sighed in exasperation; drugs did not work on Dodo, or he'd have been poisoned ages ago. That was _his _touch of Wonderland magic. What Toby did not disclose was that the guard was green, and that he heavily suspected that the busty nurse on duty was largely to blame for why the young officer was not at his post.

Hatter forced a civil reply, but he was sure the bite of sarcasm in his voice didn't go unnoticed. Toby must have felt a little bit responsible; he promised that extra patrols were in the area, and told him to call the police right away if he saw anything suspicious. Hatter murmured something appropriate and ended the call, his mind going immediately to Raymond. He should have asked after him. A wave of cold passed through his body, his stomach churned and twisted. Alice. She was alone downstairs.

Alice had fallen into a comfortable rhythm of pulling the bin, noting the stock number, and dumping the contents. It was therapeutic, almost, she reflected, letting her mind wander. She smiled to herself as she heard the scuff of a boot on the floor. She stood up and stretched, wincing as her cramped muscles protested, "Done already? I would have thought you'd take much longer to..." her words tapered off as she heard the click of a hammer drawn back. A chill ran down her spine as she heard the sound, knew it for what it was. She turned around slowly and looked into Dodo's flat brown eyes. _Shit._

"Don't move any closer, little Oyster," Dodo warned as he limped fully into the room with the aid of a cane and leveled the pistol at her, "I've learned my lesson."

Alice raised her hands, "What do you want?"

Dodo laughed bitterly, "I want that sword, I want to know where you've hidden Ten, and I want Hatter's painful death. Where is he?" He smiled, his wide eyes gleaming with a shine that told Alice beyond question that Dodo had completely lost his mind. "If you answer truthfully, I'll shoot you in the knee instead of in the head. Seems like fair turnabout, doesn't it? You did mine, I'll do yours?"

"You're crazy," Alice spat, "I'm not telling you anything."

She spared a precious second to kick herself mentally. She needed to stall for time, but she'd reacted to his bullying almost reflexively. She _really _needed to learn to control her mouth one of these days… provided she survived this, that is.

"That would be a mistake. Last chance," Dodo said, "Although… letting Hatter find your body here with your little brain splattered all over the wall might prove more valuable to me than any information you could provide. I _do _hope you tell me no again. You like to say no, don't you?"

Hatter had known straightaway that something was off from the very moment he opened the door to the tea shop. His instincts screamed for him to move silently; he listened to them and moved carefully through the tea house, once again wishing he had his little gun. Hatter crept through the hallway, his blood boiling as he made out the sound of Dodo's voice. Dodo had Alice, _his _Alice. He padded down the hallway, following the voices, keeping to the shadows. He paused at the doorway, hid behind the frame and prepared to move the moment he saw an opening.

He overheard Dodo's offer to Alice and winced as she shot back her refusal angrily. He loved Alice for all of who and what she was. He did, but he wished that she had just a _tiny_ bit more control over that quick temper of hers. She was scared, and that always made it worse. He was terrified she'd say something that would really set Dodo off, and then he'd shoot her before Hatter could intervene. He wanted to show himself to her, but if he did so, he'd expose his hiding place and they'd likely _both _be dead.

Hatter was quick, but a bullet was faster. There was too much distance to cross to sneak up behind Dodo. He was a scant meter and a half away from him, almost within striking distance, but if he slipped or faltered, Alice would be dead. He could make no mistakes. His heart hammered in his chest so hard he was surprised Dodo didn't hear it. _Calm. Be calm. No mistakes._

"Ten is in the hospital," Alice said, trying to stall for time, "and the sword is upstairs."

Dodo gave her a tight smile, condescension and arrogance coming off him in waves, "I've changed my mind. I'm afraid you're out of time."

He would shoot. Hatter knew it with every fiber of his being. Dodo was mere seconds away from killing Alice, and there was nothing he could do about it. Time slowed as he saw the gun come up, aimed at Alice's head. He stepped out from behind his concealment in the doorway, channeled all the rage, frustration and anger he could muster into his tingling right fist. _If he missed… _he pushed the thought away. _Too far… he needed a weapon_. His mind went to the Guardian's sword, and as if summoned by his wish for it, it materialized in his hand. He didn't hesitate, and thrust forward hard to bury the tip at the base of Dodo's skull. The gun went off mere milliseconds before the blade severed his spinal cord. Too late.

The sword dropped from his nerveless fingers as he watched Alice fall to the floor, his mind screaming its denial. No. It couldn't be. It could _not _end this way. He stumbled to her side, sidestepping Dodo's lifeless body with no more thought than that it was an obstacle to him getting to Alice.

He knelt beside her, his heart in his throat, his vision blurring. "Alice?" he said softly, his voice cracking.

She'd seen it in Dodo's eyes. She'd seen the moment that he'd decided she would die and she'd flung herself backwards, hoping against hope that her decision to move had been quicker than his decision to pull the trigger. In the end, it hadn't been speed or cunning that had saved her, but a fluke of luck. She'd slipped on her inventory sheet. Her feet had gone out from under her more quickly than she could have ever moved of her own power.

Alice groaned and reached up to touch the large knot forming on the back of her skull. She cracked her eyes open to see Hatter's grief-filled face swimming in her vision. Confused, she blinked up at him and tried to piece together why exactly she was lying on the hard concrete floor of the storeroom, and why Hatter was looking at her that way, and then his arms were around her, crushing her to him and he was trembling violently.

"Thought you were gone," he whispered.

"I'm okay," she murmured, closing her eyes and hugging him back tightly, stroking her fingers through his hair comfortingly.

Alice stiffened against him as she noticed Dodo's body bleeding out on the ground behind Hatter, "What happened?"

Hatter cleared his throat, not sure if he could trust his voice yet, "I dunno, exactly. I was thinking that there was no way for me to get to you before…" he paused, cleared his throat again and tried to continue, "and I just thought that I needed the sword, and it was there." He looked away from her eyes, "I killed him." He took a deep breath and met her gaze squarely, "I'd do it again."

Alice nodded, "He left you no choice."

He lost some of the haunted look in his dark eyes, a ghost of a smile softened the hard line of his mouth. He nodded, "Yeah." He helped her to her feet. They stared down at Dodo… the root cause of so much pain and suffering for so many people. They looked to each other helplessly, at a loss to what to do with him.

Hatter cocked an eyebrow, "Now what? I don't fancy explaining to the police about this one. If we were in Wonderland, I'd just shove him off the walking path."

Hatter's mobile rang, startling them both; he answered it, and then held out his hand for Alice, and led her out of the storeroom. He had no desire to spend any more time with Dodo's corpse than he had to. Raymond was on the other end of the line. He had been released from the hospital, and he wanted to meet with Alice and Hatter. Hatter directed him to come to the tea shop straight away, and laughed in amusement when Raymond asked if it was safe. Hatter assured him that it was perfectly safe.

"Are you _sure_ that it is safe?" Raymond asked again as Hatter unlocked the door, let him in, and locked it behind him.

Hatter gave him a wry smile, "Pretty sure. Follow me."

Alice waited in the front room as Hatter led Raymond to the back storeroom. She had no desire to go back into that room again; the mere thought of it turned her stomach.

Hatter gestured to Dodo's body, "He came here lookin' to end us. I got him first. Searched the body, but no Stone. Don't suppose ya own a car and know of a good place to dispose of a body, eh?"

Raymond blanched as he looked down upon the body of the traitor of Wonderland, "No… but I have the Stone."

"What? You? But how?" Hatter shook his head in disbelief, grasped Raymond's arm and pulled him back to the front room. "Alice! Raymond has the Stone."

Alice's eyes widened, "How?"

"Long story," Raymond sighed, producing the ring that held the Stone of Wonderland from his pocket.

"You can go home with that. Why did you stay?" Alice asked curiously.

Raymond gave her a skittish smile, "King Jack told me to bring Dodo back to him, and one thing he has in common with his mother is that it is not a good idea to disregard his orders."

Hatter chewed his lip and nodded thoughtfully, "Tea?"

Hatter smiled at the incredulous look Alice shot him. "What? We need to get this sorted, and tea helps me think. Everything is better with tea… especially mine."

She rolled her eyes but gestured for him to put the tea on.

Over cups of tea, Raymond went on to explain that he'd found where Dodo had been staying. After days upon days of surveillance, he'd gotten lucky enough to see the approximate location where Dodo stashed the ring. As soon as he saw Dodo leave, he'd broken in and secured the ring, but Dodo had discovered him as he was making his escape and had given chase. Since then, he'd been dodging Dodo in fear for his life. The man had grown severely unstable, and he had no idea what Dodo was capable of. He had to figure out a way to get Dodo back to Wonderland without getting killed himself, and he was at a loss as to how to do it.

"…and that's why I was going to need your help," Raymond said, "You and Lady Alice are the only people I thought could take him down. I thought with your help, I could fulfill my mission." His brow furrowed, "Of course, I thought he'd be alive…" he trailed off awkwardly.

"Hnnn. Well, I think I've got a solution as to what to do with the body, yeah?" Hatter replied.

Alice blinked and shook her head, "What's that?"

He smirked, "We send it back to Jack, just as he asked." He studied Raymond seriously, "The question is, are you going with it?"

Raymond frowned, "I'm expected to return. The King…"

Hatter scoffed, "Stuff Jack. What do _you_ want to do?"

Raymond stared down at the table, finally shook his head, "No. I did a lot of bad things in the Queen's name. I owe it to my people to try and make amends. I'm going back."

Alice squeezed Hatter's hand, "We understand."

Hatter sighed, "Yeah. Okay then, I'll need to get a mirror working. The Stone, please."

While Hatter worked on setting up a mirror, Alice filled Raymond in on their trip to Wonderland, complete with the details of the ceremony that named her as the proper custodian of the Stone, and Hatter as her guardian. Raymond eyed Hatter dubiously, unable to reconcile what he knew of the man with the idea of him being one of the infamous Guardians of Legend. The Guardians were renowned for their bravery, pure heart and loyalty. The Hatter he knew… wasn't. Then again, just from the short time he'd spent with him since the Queen was deposed, he'd seen him in a different light. Perhaps he hadn't known him at all. They'd _all _had to become something else to survive the reign of the mad Queen. Of course, he was _also_ currently sitting and having a cup of the most delicious tea he'd ever drank in his life with _the _Alice, so nothing really should come as a shock to him after that.

Hatter set up a mirror and carefully activated it with the Stone of Wonderland. Unlike the official mirror, home crafted ones did not have the capacity to store energy. As soon as the Stone was removed, it would close within minutes. He lifted Dodo's corpse with a moue of disgust and tossed it through the portal with a muttered "good riddance." He had wanted the man dead, that was true, but rather than getting any sense of satisfaction at his death, all he was left with was a feeling of relief and the futile wish that it hadn't have had to come to that. Thinking back to Ryan Shipley's fate, he'd probably done Dodo a favor by killing him.

He cleaned up the remainder of the mess on his floor, washed his hands about fifty times, and then went back out to the front room of the tea shop to tell Raymond that all was ready for his trip home.

"Raymond, do you have to go now?" Alice asked. At his look of confusion she hastened to add, "Can you stay for the wedding? We'd love to have you."

Raymond tried to hide his excitement. A chance to see the heroes of Wonderland wed? It was the chance of a lifetime. The entire court would be green with envy. Maybe the Seven of Diamonds would be interested enough to hear the story over dinner. It should at least get him a date with her. He turned to Hatter, "I wouldn't want to intrude."

Hatter grinned, "No intrusion, mate. Would be nice, actually. Only a week away…"

Raymond nodded, "I'll be there. Let me know if you need any help. I'm at loose ends now, what with Dodo taken care of."

Alice nodded, suddenly struck by the fact that the wedding was only a week away. It wasn't much time, and they had so much to do! She snuck a sidewise glance at Hatter and saw he was coming to the same realization. Blindly, she reached for his hand, knowing it would be there. Excitement, fear, joy… it had been a long road. They'd shared pain and sorrow, bliss and a love so deep that she knew it had to be the kind that most people only read about in fairytales. Hatter kissed her fingers, his warm brown eyes full of undying love for her; she knew it was only going to get better. They had each other, always and forever.

**TBC in the Epilogue**

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A/N: So, we reach the end… aside from the Epilogue (Yes, folks, I mean the wedding. You don't think I'd leave

_**that **_**out, did ya?) I **_**do**_** like even numbers. I'm so glad so many of you have stuck with me all these months and continued to read. I might have a honeymoon story percolating in my mind if there is any interest. **

**Exciting news! I was approached to write some of my original stuff for a literary magazine! I'm digging into that next, and I'll keep my profile updated with my progress. I have to thank all of you for making me believe in myself. Your reviews and words of encouragement made it all happen for me. Thanks so much! **


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: I revised last chapter to explain some of the things I glossed over a bit too quickly on the initial publish (like Dodo's escape and how Raymond found the ring) so I hope you go back and re-read. I was determined not to make the same mistake on this one. Noooo chance of skipping over for the sake of brevity here. Yay for giant chapters! (6.1k!)**

**Thanks so much to everyone that has continued to stick by me for so long! I'll miss hearing from ya'll so often. REALLY hope you like this.**

* * *

Epilogue

The newly refurbished tea shop was beautiful. Missy had painted murals on the walls in the café and store area in the front, and nary a trace of any lingering odor of smoke remained. Hatter had reordered all of the damaged stock, and most of it had already arrived. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of their neighbors, they'd been able to re-open their doors just few days after the fire. Raymond had offered up the remainder of the funds Jack had furnished him with when he crossed over to help with the out of pocket costs, and as a wedding gift of sorts. Unfortunately there was not a whole lot remaining, but it was enough to cover the insurance deductible plus a little extra.

Hatter had been using the last few days to try to ready the tea for the tea blending ceremony at the wedding. It was the most important tea he'd ever blended in his life, and he wanted it perfect. He hadn't managed it yet, although it was close. It seemed as if it was still missing something important, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He flipped his porkpie from his head and sent it dancing over his shoulder, down his other arm and then back on his head.

"Got it done yet?" Erica asked with a small grin.

Frustrated, Hatter shook his head, "No. Not yet."

"Wedding is tomorrow. Tick-tock."

Hatter shot her a glare, "I know it. Sommat's missing." He sighed, "We're meant to be at the dress shop in an hour, and we'll be busy the rest of the day setting up the tea shop for the reception. I _have _to finish it, or it'll not be a proper wedding."

Erica studied her friend carefully. He looked genuinely distraught. "Maybe it would help if I try it?"

Hatter shook his head, "No, but thanks very much. It's not right. It should _feel _right." He groaned and rested his forehead on the counter, "I'll be up all damn night with this."

Alice breezed in the front door a moment later, and as usual, Hatter's heart skipped a beat just to see her. She smiled at him, her eyes lighting up in joy. He didn't fail to notice the sweep of her eyes up and down his body or the way she bit her lip before she'd smiled. She'd insisted that she was going to stay the night at her mother's the night before the wedding; it was one bit of tradition she said she would follow. Hatter had given his amused agreement, thinking that one night away was likely not going to kill him. Now he wasn't so sure. At least one part of his anatomy violently objected.

Hatter gave her a crooked broad grin, "Hello, love. You're set on the whole tradition thing, are ya?"

Alice smirked and rolled her eyes, "Don't try that dimple on me. I'm not changing my mind, and if you try, you aren't allowed to come with me to get the dress."

Hatter laughed and nodded, his dark chocolate brown eyes dancing with mirth, "Fair enough."

Erica grinned at Alice conspiratorially as Hatter left the room to go grab his jacket, "He's so nervous! He's been doing hat tricks all day, and he's been flitting around like a hummingbird. I was about to call you to ask if you could come get him before he explodes."

Alice gave a shaky laugh, "I'm nervous too. I can't believe it's finally happening. With our luck, I keep expecting something horrible to happen."

Erica wrapped her arms around Alice and gave her a hug, "Over my dead body. You two have been through enough already."

Hatter's brow creased in concern as he walked back into the front part of the tea shop to see Erica giving Alice a hug. He hoped nothing bad had happened. "Alright?" he asked.

Erica snorted, "Yes. Everything is fine." She clapped her hands together and grinned suddenly, "Just _wait _until you see my hat! Oh, and the cake! It's perfect!"

He nodded, bemused, "I can't imagine how it couldn't be."

Alice took in a moment to take in the wedding décor. All the tables were covered with circular white tablecloths, then overlaid with a square black one. They'd then laid a small mirror in the center and scattered silver and black shiny confetti tea cups and tea kettles over the surface of the mirror and table. Alice had found the confetti at a craft supply store and knew she had to have them for the wedding. When the florist delivered the flowers for the table centerpieces, it would truly transform the place. The florist was from the neighborhood, and he'd cut them a remarkably good deal on both the purple iris table centerpieces and her bridal bouquet made up of purple iris, black calla lily, white calla lily with deep purple centers and soft feathery plumes of caspia. Alice even had a small aisle to walk down, complete with a white carpet and a small platform for them to stand on as they said their vows. It was almost surreal to see their little tea shop decorated for a wedding, and even more so when she realized it was for _her _wedding.

"Ready?" Hatter asked, his face serious and oddly vulnerable, and Alice knew he meant more than was she ready to leave the shop with him.

She smiled at him warmly, "I am. You?"

He lifted an eyebrow, his expression showing comic disbelief, "Ya have to ask?"

* * *

Hatter stretched his legs out on the bed and looked at the spot where Alice should be curled up next to him. The bed was too big without her. He sipped at his tea and tried to take his mind off her, but it was impossible. He picked up his mobile from the bedside table and rang her, giving up all pretense that he was perfectly fine spending the night away from her. He needed to hear her voice, at least. He closed his eyes and imagined her face as he waited for her to pick up. She was going to be his wife tomorrow. His heart sped at the thought of it. Most days he still couldn't fathom that she'd agreed. He must be the luckiest man alive.

"Hatter," Alice said as she answered her phone.

"I miss you," he replied without preamble.

Alice laughed softly, a shiver running through her body at the quiet intensity in his voice. "I just saw you a few hours ago," she said, but the breathless catch in it gave away how much he had affected her.

Hatter made a noise of amusement, "And that means what, exactly?"

"I miss you, too," she admitted.

They talked long into the evening; Alice's replies took longer and longer to come back to him. When Hatter heard her soft snore, he smiled to himself and pressed the end button. He was glad that at least Alice would have some rest that evening; he had none such hope for himself. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but it eluded him, as he suspected it would. Sighing, he levered himself out of the bed and wandered into the main room, determined to find something to do to occupy his time. He'd already moved the large mirror from the tea shop into the flat, but he still needed to set it up to act as a portal. Now was as good a time as any.

He figured their flat was a much more secure area for Raymond to pass through, and once a mirror was used as a conduit, it was more likely that it could be again. He'd explained how it worked to Alice with the analogy of rubbing a magnet on a steel needle. Once magnetized, the steel would retain a bit of residual magnetism. The next time it was used, it would take the charge slightly more quickly than a piece of steel that hadn't ever been previously magnetized. Mirrors worked much the same way. Repeated use of one particular mirror reinforced it as a pathway, smoothing away any resistance. Hatter would lay odds that Dodo's body had ended up in the Hall of the Mirror because that particular mirror had been used more often and for longer than any other in Wonderland. It was the path of least resistance, magically speaking. The mirror taking up residence in his flat had been used exactly once by him, but he was certain it had been used quite a bit before he'd rescued it from the construction site. It had been the primary portal used to cross to New York City.

Hatter was well aware that although the Stone of Wonderland was completely unique, there _were _a few items such as the transportation talismans that's whereabouts had never been determined. As much as he hated the idea of someone using his flat to come through to this world, he'd rather have that than his tea shop, or worse, an empty construction site where he'd have no knowledge of it. Once Raymond was home safe, he would destroy it. He could easily make another mirror if he had to, and he'd rather any visitors that braved the journey to do so had the additional worry of an uncertain destination.

Hatter propped the mirror against the wall and plugged in the soldering iron; one of his solders had popped off when he'd carried the mirror up the stairs. He'd done a rush job on it to begin with, but he'd thought it was going to be used immediately and then disassembled. The process of creating a transport mirror was simple enough; he just had to pass an electrical current through the frame and the surface of the mirror and then introduce the Stone into the current. All someone needed to create a portal mirror was a silver-backed mirror in a metal frame and a passing knowledge of basic electronics. About five minutes later he'd finished the repair, he was again at loose ends.

He went into the kitchen and suppressed the urge to bake something. He _needed _to sleep. He sighed and made a strong sleep-inducing tea mixture. He hated to take anything that dulled his reflexes, but he'd be damned if he showed up to his own wedding looking as if he'd not slept for days. He wanted to be as handsome as possible for his Alice. Besides, Dodo was dead and he hadn't had time to aggro anyone else in the meantime. Even _he _didn't work that quickly. He'd take his chances.

Morning dawned, the sun spilling in through the bedroom window to wash over Hatter's inert form. He groaned and pulled the blanket up and over his head; Alice always lowered the shade every evening, but he'd not remembered to. As he reached out to draw her closer to him, he remembered she wasn't there. _Then _he remembered what day this was. His wedding day. _So much to do,_ he thought, shaking the cobwebs of sleep from his mind. The flowers would be coming, and the cake, and the guests, he was meant to be dressed and waiting for Alice by four, and he _still _needed to complete the family tea for the wedding. He imagined her coming down the isle towards him holding her bouquet of irises and lilies, wearing the soft expression that she wore only for him. In a flash of insight, he realized what he'd been missing in the tea.

* * *

Alice could not believe that the time was so near. She was going to get married today. Her. 'Little miss can't commit' was actually going to be _married. _More than that, she was looking forward to it. She and Hatter had picked up their wedding attire the day previous, and much to his disappointment, she'd refused to show him the finished product. The fitted corset bodice had hugged her torso beautifully, and she'd been very pleased at how a properly fitted bodice could make the absolute most of her… assets. The silver and black silk scrollwork embroidery on the bodice and the inset panels of the skirt were stitch perfect, and the full bottom of the ball gown was the perfect length for her petite body. She took a moment to admire her dress; only Hatter could have found something so beautiful, unique and perfectly suited for her. She could not wait to see him in his suit. When Hatter put full effort into his appearance, he was delicious. Even more so than usual, that is.

Erica and Missy were in charge of setting up the flowers, the cake, and all the last minute details, but knowing Hatter, he'd be neck deep in it. James was supposed to stop in to check on him, and she hoped he would keep him from driving the girls crazy. She knew Hatter saw him as a father figure, and she hoped he'd fill the void for him, at least a little. She'd been thinking of her father and how much she wished he could be a part of the wedding, and she knew Hatter would be feeling the same about his own absent family. At least she still had her mom. Alice and her mother had just come from their hair appointment, and she was just waiting for time to pass at this point. She wanted to talk to Hatter to calm herself down, but she resisted making the call. She was sure he was busy.

* * *

Hatter stood under the steaming hot shower, eyes closed and hands braced against the wall. He sighed as the water coursed down his body, trying to force tense muscles to relax and unknot; he had done all he could to prepare for the wedding, to include blending his and Alice's family tea for the ceremony. All he had left to was to be ready himself. His black suit was laid out on the bed, the white silk shirt with its high stiff collar was hung inside the wardrobe, as was his gleaming satin waistcoat with swirling purple scrollwork embroidery that echoed the design in Alice's dress. Hatter bit his lower lip at the thought of Alice; he was nervous, yes… but more than that he was excited. He shut off the taps; he'd spent nearly twenty minutes in the shower. He'd killed as much time as he was able to. He wanted to ring Alice, but she had to get ready for the wedding herself. It wouldn't be too much longer, he reassured himself.

Hatter toweled off his thick mass of dark hair and then wrapped the towel around his narrow hips and tucked in the end to secure it. He studied his reflection in the mirror critically, passing a hand over his stubbled cheek. He'd debated shaving for the ceremony, but Alice had told him he'd better not dare to. She liked his scruff, and she knew he felt better with it than without. He encouraged his hair to form its usual curls and flips so that it would curl over the brim of his top hat. Alice liked that best, as well. He chuckled as he realized she liked him best as he'd first appeared to her. He had a preference for her when she was soaking wet, so he couldn't poke _too _much fun, could he? He smirked as he picked up Alice's eye pencil… he wondered if she'd notice.

* * *

Alice was using Hatter's office as her dressing area. She hadn't wanted to chance staining her dress on the car ride over. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might beat out of her chest, especially knowing that Hatter was likely upstairs at the same moment dressing for the ceremony. For once, she knew he'd be dressed on time. He might have a lax appreciation for timeliness, but she knew for a fact that he'd be standing at the end of the aisle waiting for her when she was ready to walk down it.

Erica sniffled as she straightened out Alice's three foot long train, her bright blue eyes welling up with tears. "I'm so happy for you two! You look beautiful! Hatter is going to die! Oh, I cannot _wait _to see the look on his face when he sees you!"

Alice smiled and reached up to make sure the veil was still secure in the upswept mass of curls her hair had been styled in. Although it was a full length, it was a simple comb style veil; she hadn't wanted to detract from the drama of the dress. "Well, he picked it, so he'd better love it."

Erica laughed, "I was about to choke him today. I had to evict him from the tea shop; he was arranging the flowers precisely the same on every table. It was like a weird OCD thing. I was afraid he'd start in with the lint roller next so I kicked him out. Oh! Did you see the cake?"

Alice nodded as she slid the blue garter belt up her thigh, "Yes! Your cousin is amazing. It's perfect!"

The cake was a multi-tiered with alternating layers of white on white floral piping and black on white scrollwork. The layers were interspaced with beautiful purple gum paste irises, and on the very top of the cake was a small black top hat. Erica's cousin had made a beautiful and sophisticated cake that would have cost them far more than their budget had allowed. Luckily, it had been a gift from Erica and Dennis, and Erica's cousin had barely charged her above what a plain cake from a grocery store bakery would have cost. It was an incredible gift, and she and Hatter had been both touched and thrilled.

Erica grinned, "I owe her one, that's for sure. I promised to help her set up her book keeping, so that should make us even."

Alice hugged her friend tightly, "Thank you Erica. For everything. I couldn't ask for a better friend."

Taken aback, Erica hugged tightly in return. Alice was _never_ the one to reach out in any show of affection, although Erica had never given her much choice at being a receiver. "Of course. You're my friend, Alice. I love you… and Hatter too, but don't tell him. He'll get an even bigger head and then he'll be _impossible _to work with."

* * *

Hatter's hands were shaking as he buttoned his immaculate white shirt. He managed it… barely, his ordinarily nimble fingers made slow and clumsy by his taut nerves. He got the tiny white pearl buttons of his waistcoat done up correctly on the third try, and he managed the complicated knot of the deep purple silk cravat on the seventh go. At least his shined black leather ankle boots were easy to slip on. Aside from those and his purple paisley boxers, everything else seemed determined to fight him. James had stopped in to make sure he didn't need any help, but he'd assured him he was managing it okay aside from feeling like he needed to vomit. James had laughed and told him that it was perfectly normal.

He'd offered the older man a cup of tea, and thankfully, James had insisted on making it himself. Hatter honestly believed he'd muck it up if he'd tried. James had rambled on about easy topics like the weather, and by the time Hatter had finished his cup of tea his hands no longer trembled and he felt a great deal calmer. He let James help him on with his velvet swallow-tailed jacket, donned his black top hat at a rakish angle and then went to check out the finished product in the full length mirror. He smiled slowly; Alice would be pleased, if he knew his Alice.

"You are just missing one thing, David," James said as he watched his young friend preen in front of the mirror.

"Am I?" Hatter asked, looking down at his fly to be sure it was fastened.

James laughed, "No… these," he said, holding out a pair of onyx cufflinks. "I married my lady love wearing these… no son to pass them down to, you know," he cleared his throat, "but I'd like you to have them. I'd be honored if you would wear them today."

Stunned, Hatter nodded. "Thank you. I… It's an honor to wear them."

James gripped him hard on the shoulder, "Put them on, son. You've a wedding to get to. Alice will kill you if you are late for _this._"

* * *

Carol Hamilton tried to hold back the tears that threatened to overflow at the sight of her little girl in her wedding dress. She couldn't be happier for her, despite her initial reluctance at the thought of her married so young. She'd found the perfect man for her, and she knew that he made her happy. Hatter was a good man, and he adored her daughter. As a mother, she could hardly ask for anything more.

"It's almost time, sweetheart. I'm going to go sit down. Do you need anything else?" Carol asked.

Alice smiled timorously, "No. I'm ready. Is Hatter out there?"

Carol laughed, "Yes, and he's white as a ghost. If he doesn't see you soon, I think he may faint."

Alice giggled, "He'd never live it down, and half the dojo is out there."

* * *

Hatter stood on the dais along with the judge that was performing the ceremony and waited for his Alice. Erica gave him reassuring glances from under the purple mesh veil of her pillbox hat, and Dennis had already told him he could catch him if he fainted 'like a little girl.' His mouth was painfully dry. _What if I can't talk? What if I can't remember me vows? _he thought, his mind chasing circles around itself. Then the organ music swelled and he saw Alice. His heart stopped, stuttered painfully, and then smoothed out again as she began walking towards him. _Beautiful. _

Alice walked towards Hatter on the arm of Sensei Lim. He was the closest thing to a father she had, and she'd half lived at the dojo for the past ten years. It had been an easy choice to ask him to walk her down the aisle. She smiled gently as she saw her Hatter waiting for her, his dark brown eyes shone with unshed tears, the intense love he felt for her shining through on his face. Against her will, she felt her own eyes fill in response as her heart warmed and melted. _Damn it, no. I don't want my makeup ruined before I even get to the vows._ Hatter looked incredibly handsome; he watched her as if she was the only thing in the world he saw… _was he wearing eyeliner? _

It seemed as if it took a lifetime, but finally she was stood beside him. As they joined hands Hatter felt every last bit of anxiety leave him. He was exactly where he wanted to be with the love of his life. All was right with the world.

Their eyes were only for each other as the judge began the opening words of the ceremony, and soon enough, it was time to speak their vows. They'd explained that their unconventional ring exchange was a Hatter family tradition, but the judge had just laughed and said at least they weren't getting married underwater like the last wedding he'd officiated.

Hatter no longer worried if he remembered his vows, the words were engraved upon his heart.

"I, David Lee Hatter, ask you, my dearest love Alice, to be my wife. I want share the rest of my life with you, to stand by your side, to cherish you and to love you with all m' heart, my soul, with every breath in my body. I'd be lost without you. I promise to never, _ever_ leave you, and if we are ever apart again I swear to find my way to your side or die trying. Alice, I love you… always and forever. I belong to you… Will you have me?"

Alice's lower lip trembled, "Yes."

Hatter smiled, relief and joy lighting up his face as he slid the delicate diamond ring on her finger.

Alice took a deep breath to steady herself, uncertain of her voice after Hatter's heartfelt words.

"I, Alice Helen Hamilton, take you, my Hatter to be my husband. You're my best friend, my true love, the other part of my soul. I want to make my life with you, and I swear I'll never let you go. I'll promise to give you all my love, all my trust, and all my heart for always and forever. Will you be my husband?"

Hatter's mouth twitched and one tear escaped to run down his cheek, "Yes." he answered as she slid the ring back to its proper place on his finger. He'd hated being without it, even for a day.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride," the judge declared.

Hatter gathered her into his arms and kissed her with all the love and passion within him; he loved her so much it hurt. Alice cleaved to him, her hand buried in his hair, lost in the feel of his mouth on hers. For a moment they forgot the wedding, their friends, everything but each other. The amused titters of their guests finally broke the spell. Alice giggled against Hatter's lips as she pulled away. She smiled up at Hatter, and he answered it with one of his heart stopping thousand watt bright dimpled grins. They were _finally _married.

They posed for pictures and then moved on to the reception for the tea ceremony and the cutting of the cake. Alice's cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but she was unbelievably happy to be standing there next to Hatter as his wife. She'd never seen him smile and laugh so much, but she knew he was anxious for the tea ceremony to begin. Alice knew the tea ceremony meant a great deal to Hatter. To his people, they weren't officially married until they completed it. The ceremony was one of the things that had become less and less accepted under the regime of the Queen, and as the son of a master tea crafter as was his father before him, he desperately wanted the ceremony to be a part of his own wedding.

* * *

They were sat at a small table across from each other a kettle of tea between them. Hatter drew in a deep breath and hoped he'd gotten the blend right. Creating a tea that spoke of both the essence of both him and Alice, and then of their relationship, and also of the future they would make together was an exceedingly difficult and complex task. _This_ would take the work of a master, and despite Alice's assurances that he was one, he wasn't sure he believed it. He'd spent too many years away from the art whilst he'd been fighting to walk a tightrope line of survival, and he'd had too few years with his father for instruction.

The ceremony was simple enough, he had to measure out the perfect amount, pour the water at the proper temperature, let the tea steep until it achieved the proper flavor, and then pour it into a vessel for them to share. At the same time, each table was supposed to pour the loose tea into the kettle sat upon the table, and then after Alice and Hatter had both drank from the cup, all guests would partake of a cup of tea in congratulations. Their family tea would only be served in their home after the ceremony, but Hatter had left a small tin of a special wedding tea for each guest to take with them as a wedding favor. Erica and Missy Delmonico were both given the task of ensuring that the guests followed their part, and Dennis would perform the traditional wedding toast with the tea, and then they would move on to the cake. It was a blending of both traditions that had suited them perfectly.

Hatter had managed all the steps without dumping the water on the floor or the tea in his lap, and now all that was left was the sharing of the tea. He frowned down at the tea mixture, then nodded as he saw the color develop. It was time. He gave Alice a nervous smile, and then offered the cup to her for the first drink. If she didn't approve, it was a refusal of the marriage.

Alice took the steaming cup of tea in her hands and inhaled deeply to draw the soothing spicy scent into her lungs, and then took closed her eyes as she took the first sip.

Black tea was the base, dark, oily and strong… that was Hatter. Her lips twitched in a small smile as she tasted smoky Lapsang Souchong, and the pure clear notes of white tea. Warmth, comfort, hope and love from cinnamon and vanilla… that was Alice… leather, cloves and nutmeg were home, the scent of Hatter. Lily and rose petals for endless love and tenderness, and a hint of ginger that spoke of fiery tempers from them both. Underneath all the love and sweetness and comfort lie an undercurrent of sensual dark chocolate, ancho chili for fierce heated passion and pink peppercorns for the bite of desire. Her body warmed and tingled as the sensations rushed through her veins. She tasted friendship, she tasted laughter, she tasted pain and tears, but strongest of all was the passionate fierce love between them. Hatter was no question a master at his craft.

Alice opened her eyes and passed the cup to Hatter for him to drink. He studied her, his expression grave and searching. He must have seen what he needed to, because he gave her a tiny smile and then raised the cup to his lips. She watched him as the emotion flowed over his face as he drank deeply, and like she had, closed his eyes. She took his hands in hers, waiting for him to open his eyes. Erica and Missy urged everyone to charge their tea cups, and then Hatter and Alice stood to receive the toast.

"My friends here, they are good people. May they live for long, and stay in love as much as they are now forever," Dennis declared.

Alice and Hatter took another sip apiece as they watched their guests get the first taste of one of Hatter's special tea blends. This one was by far his best work. She'd noticed that he had continued to grow in talent and skill the longer he had the tea shop, but she didn't know if he'd ever be able to top this one. She could tell from the shock and pleasure on their friends and families faces that they were in complete agreement. What they had drank was Hatter and Alice in a cup, and it would likely be an experience they'd remember for a long time.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur for them both. Hatter was a sweet man underneath his roguish cover, and thankfully he didn't know about the tradition of smashing wedding cake on your new spouse. Alice didn't enlighten him. Her mother caught the bouquet… Alice wasn't sure what she thought about that. Hatter had a great deal of fun taking off her garter, she remembered _that _very clearly. Raymond had caught it, much to his delight and embarrassment. They'd been left with a pile of gifts and the well wishes of more friends than they'd realized they had. They'd smiled and laughed; it had been a wonderful evening, but what Alice wanted most of all was to take off her high heels, take off Hatter's clothes and then relax with the bottles of champagne they'd received. They planned to order Stephano's pizza in honor of their first "date," and that sounded like a perfect end to the wedding festivities to both her and Hatter.

Their guests were leaving, thanks to Dennis' not so subtle encouragement. Hatter almost wanted to give the man a hug in appreciation. Almost. Raymond wished them well and stated he'd return in the late morning to make the journey through the portal. Erica cried on both of them, and Hatter assured her that her pillbox hat was lovely beyond compare with its purple and black sequined netting and handmade lace overlay over deep purple satin.

Alice's mother pressed an envelope into her hand as they were making the final farewells to their guests. "Open it."

Hatter and Alice traded a questioning look, silently asking if the other had any idea what she'd be giving them. Alice ripped open the seal and pulled out two plane tickets. "Vegas? Leaving tomorrow? Mom, what is this?"

Carol smiled, "It's called a wedding gift, Alice. You and my new son-in-law have a hotel waiting for you. It's only five days, but I thought it would be a nice honeymoon. I knew you weren't planning on taking one, so-"

Alice hugged her tightly, "Mom, this it too much! I don't know if we can be away, though. The shop-"

Carol shook her head, "I already spoke with James. He said between him and the two girls they'd cover it. It's only five days. You both work too hard and you deserve this." Carol released Alice to face Hatter, but kept an arm around her daughter.

"Carol, I don't know what to say…"

Carol laughed, "That's a first!" She wrapped her other arm around him, "Say thank you, and then go enjoy it."

Hatter nodded, "Thank you."

"Okay kids, I've kept you long enough. Go home." She gave them both a parting hug and then left them to the now empty tea shop.

Hatter smiled down at his bride, "Come'ere, love. I've not had one moment alone with you in two days."

Alice quirked an eyebrow, "You missed me," she charged, winding her arms around his neck.

Hatter laughed softly, "Every moment you're away, yes love."

Alice went on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss over his lips, "Take me upstairs and show me, husband of mine."

Hatter gave a breathless growl low in his throat, "Say that again."

"Hmmm?"

"Say it, Alice," he said, his dark eyes gone even darker.

"Husband."

"I love the way you say that," he murmured, slanting his mouth over hers.

"And I love _you_," Alice replied when they broke apart for breath.

Hatter smiled gently, "Thank you, love. You've made me the happiest man in either world today." She'd changed his life, changed him… made him a better man. Given him love and acceptance and a life he was proud of. He'd never thought any of it could be his, and he had all he'd ever wanted, and more.

Alice nodded, too overcome with emotion to speak. She cradled his jaw in her hand and pulled his head down to kiss her again. She could kiss him forever...

END

* * *

**A/N: Well, what did you think? I truly hope you'll tell me. (Belated is quite fine with me, BTW. I have no statute of limitations.) This work was a labor of love for me, and I can't thank ya'll enough for reading and reviewing and encouraging me along the way. I've made a page on my LJ with all the wedding finery. You can go to it here: casy-dee. livejournal. com/ 53823 .html ********(just take out the spaces)**

**Honeymoon fic is on the docket, but I need to finish my original fic and a Conby birthday fic first. I'll keep my profile updated with progress on my original work. Maybe someday I'll be published, eh? *crosses fingers* **

**I love ya'll! Thanks so much for reading! **


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